Donahue
by Lee Black
Summary: When Harry appeared on her doorstep and she read the letter in his basket, Petunia Dursley didn't have it in her to mistreat the infant. Instead, she brought him inside and resolved to raise her nephew in a way that his parents apparently didn't care to.
1. Prologue

So I know I've got a few other stories in progress at the moment, and I haven't updated in a while, but I've got some massive block going on, and I'm getting more involved in my own writing (which is pulling my interest away from the Harry Potter fandom). Anyway, after a few weeks of near-insomnia, this idea came up and I started writing. Reviews are always appreciated; but updates likely won't be frequent, so keep that in mind.

Prologue

To Petunia Dudley nee Evans

I apologize for the abrupt interruption of your life, and I apologize for the suddenness of this all, but your nephew is in need of your immediate help.

There is a war going on in our world, and your sister and her husband have been forced into hiding. They, and your niece, managed to make it to their safe-house before the enemy found them, but in the chaos, Harry was left behind.

Because the entire Potter family has gone into hiding, I have been unable to contact them, and I have been forced to take extreme measures when it comes to ensuring the welfare of this child. It has reached my attention that you have recently had a child, and I have the hope that you will be willing to take in your nephew for the time being.

It is my hope that this conflict will reach a swift conclusion so that the Potter family can come out of hiding, and so that Harry can once again be reunited with the rest of his family. If it does not resolve itself soon enough, I will be forced to leave Harry with you until he reaches the age of eleven. At that time, he will be brought back into our world, regardless of the status of the war, and I can only hope that he will be able to be successfully reunited with the Potter family at that time.

As long as he remains in your custody, I will send you a monthly cash stipend to assist with the cost of raising Harry.

I thank you in advance for your consideration, and I hope that I will collect him before he is still a young child.

I appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

* * *

><p>Petunia sighed and looked down at the child resting in the basket, not entirely sure what to think. It was half past two in the morning, and she'd been up for the past three hours because Dudley hadn't been sleeping well for the past few days. This wasn't something she wanted to deal with at the moment, but it didn't look like she had much of a choice. The distant rumbling of thunder only helped cement her decision. She picked up the basket and brought it inside.<p>

Once she'd shut the door behind herself, she picked the child - Harry, apparently - up out of the basket, and watched as he settled himself in her arms.

The boy had brilliant green eyes, reminding Petunia a great deal of her mother's eyes, and a soft layer of black hair on his head. He looked to be maybe four months old, though he felt a little bit too lightweight to be a completely healthy four month old. He smiled tiredly up at her and gurgled quietly.

"Well hello there, Harry," she said with a slight smile at the child, tucking the letter into the pocket of her robe and walking upstairs to Dudley's room.

Dudley was still fussing in his crib, albeit quieter than before, but the moment Petunia set Harry in the crib with him, Dudley fell quiet. He reached over and grabbed hold of one of Harry's hand, giggling wildly when Harry pulled his hand out of Dudley's hold and stuck his tongue out at the older child. Dudley then fisted one of his hands in the blanket that Harry was wrapped in. The smaller child smiled at the boy and closed his eyes, appearing to go to sleep.

That seemed to settle it.

Petunia smiled and took a seat in the rocking chair next to the crib, not wanting to stray too far from the children. She pulled the letter out of her pocket and slipped it underneath the rug in the room, not sure what else to do about it at the moment. She leaned back in the rocking chair and closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep while Dudley was currently entertained with the newcomer.

* * *

><p>She woke up with a start when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "What time is it?" she asked, smiling when she recognized her husband.<p>

"Just after eight," Vernon said quietly. He held up a brown paper bag. "I picked up your favorite pastry from the diner in town on my way back from the airport," he said.

Petunia smiled and stood up, stretching a bit as she walked out of the room with Vernon.

After they were downstairs and Vernon had set a plate with the chocolate pastry in front of Petunia, he motioned toward the stairs. "I don't recall you having twins," he said.

She shook her head. "Margery Donahue, from a few blocks over, came by around two in the morning with the boy," she said, surprising herself with how easily she was coming up with the lie. "Her daughter Alison came home to raise the boy with Margery's help, but she apparently eloped with a near-stranger and left the child alone in the basement for nearly a full day."

"And Margery can't raise the child?"

"Her sister is having some health problems, so she's going to Portugal to take care of her for the next few months," Petunia said, remembering Margery telling her that at the grocery store a few days ago. "She asked if I would be able to take care of him, and I agreed," she said. "He and Dudley got along right away, and there's not too much of an age difference between them, so it didn't seem like too much trouble at the time."

Vernon was silent for a long moment. "What's the boy's name?" he asked.

"Cody Harrison Donahue," Petunia said after she finished off her pastry. "Though she's been calling him Harry, apparently.

"You're taking Dudley for a doctor's appointment later today, aren't you?" Vernon asked.

"At eleven thirty, yes," she said. "Why?"

"Bring Harrison with you and make sure that he's alright. After that, if he's a healthy child, I'll contact our lawyer and go through with officially adopting him, if that's what you want."

Petunia nodded. "Thank you, Vernon," she said. "Do you need to go to work?"

"I had today off to fly back, but I caught an earlier flight," he said.

Upstairs, the two boys shifted in the crib, and Dudley tugged on the blanket that Harry was wrapped up in before drifting off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1

Plot bunny bit me, what can I say? Thank you all for such an amazing response to the first chapter. (This is something of a deviation from my norm, what with the nice Dursleys and all, but that's the only real change. This is still going to be something of a dark story as it develops.)

Chapter 1

(6 Years Later)

...

...

"Wake up, Harry!" Dudley yelled as he clambered onto the younger boy's bed and woke him up. "Mum's making crepes for your birthday breakfast!" he said happily, jumping up and down and laughing. "You know what that means?"

Harry rolled over, grinning as he stretched a bit and sat up. "That we can have ice cream for breakfast?" he asked.

Dudley grinned back at him. "Hurry up and come downstairs with me!" he said, pulling the five year old boy out of his bed and half-dragging him downstairs. "Mum! Harry's awake! We can eat now!"

Vernon lowered his newspaper and looked at the boys. "Did he wake up on his own, or did you help him with that?" he asked, clearly amused.

Harry laughed quietly but slipped out of Dudley's hold and ducked into the kitchen. "Auntie, do you want me to set the table for breakfast?" he asked.

She smiled down at him. "It's your birthday, Harry," she said. "Go send Dudley in here, and he can do it this morning."

Harry nodded and headed back out to the living room. "Dudley, Auntie said you get to set the table for breakfast," he said, climbing into one of the chairs.

The older boy scowled slightly but headed into the kitchen without protest.

As soon as Dudley was in the kitchen and speaking with Petunia, Vernon put the newspaper down and looked at Harry. "I know it's a bit early for surprises, since we were planning on having the actual celebration after you and Dudley got back from school, around suppertime," he started. "But do you remember that Israeli fellow I work with, who came over a few weeks ago for dinner?" he asked.

"The man with the funny accent?" Harry asked.

Vernon frowned a bit but nodded. "I remembered how interested you were in that Krav Maga fighting that he told you about, and I spoke to him about it. He found someone who's willing to train you, if you'd like," he said.

Harry's face lit up completely, the excitement practically bubbling out of him. "Brilliant," he said, launching himself out of the chair and hugging his uncle. "Thank you!" he said, grinning.

Vernon nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable before returning the hug. "The reason I'm telling you about this now is because you've got your first practice after school. Petunia is going to pick you up from school and take you to the man's gym, and she's going to stay there and make sure that you and the trainer get along alright," he said.

Harry nodded and pulled away from his uncle, ignoring how clammy his hands had been. "Thank you!" he said again as Dudley and Petunia came out of the kitchen, both of them carrying plates.

"Do you think the teachers will do anything for your birthday, Harry?" Dudley asked as he quickly set the table and took his seat across the table from Harry.

"It's just my sixth birthday," Harry said with a shrug.

"So?" Dudley asked. "When it was Piers' sixth birthday, the teacher brought cupcakes to class," he said.

"That's because Piers' father is the superintendent and the teacher wanted to stay in the man's good favor," Vernon said. "Besides, Petunia's spent quite a bit of time looking at that dessert cookbook she keeps in the china cabinet," he said. "You wouldn't want to spoil your appetites with store-bought cupcakes, would you?" he asked.

Dudley frowned. "I suppose not," he said as Petunia a plate of freshly made crepes on the table and took a seat in the last empty chair. He looked over at Petunia. "If you're taking Harry to a fighting class after school, am I going to miss football practice?" he asked as he put two crepes on his plate.

Petunia shook her head. "Piers' mother has agreed to take you to practice, and she'll drop you off here after it's over," she said as everyone else filled their plates and started eating.

About ten minutes later, after Harry'd finished eating, Petunia motioned to the stairs. "Go take a shower and get dressed," she said with a light smile.

Harry nodded and ran to do so, but before he went upstairs, he took his empty plate into the kitchen, ignoring the strange look he got from Dudley at the action.

…

His school day dragged by, and Harry barely paid attention to any of his classes. At the end of the day, he barely said goodbye to Dudley, Piers, and his other two friends before he ran out to meet Petunia.

They drove about half an hour before stopping in front of a large house.

"Do you know the teacher's name?" he asked, staring at the house.

"Eli David, if your uncle told me correctly," Petunia said as she parked in the driveway and headed inside.

Eli David met them just inside the door, and he was quick to offer them a cup of tea.

Petunia accepted for the both of them, and they followed him down a main hall and into a sitting room. After they'd all made themselves comfortable with tea, Petunia took the chance to engage the man in conversation. "How, exactly, would you be teaching my nephew how to fight?" she asked, wasting no time in getting right down to business.

Harry smiled a bit at the question as he looked the man over.

Eli was maybe a few years younger than Vernon, but he couldn't have looked more different. He had darker skin than Harry had ever seen before, and his eyes were black, making the boy wonder if Eli was Asian, like the girl from his Music class. He had black hair cut short, and he was wearing white linen pants and a dark grey t-shirt.

Petunia suddenly nudged him none too gently, and Harry looked up at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Mr. David just asked you a question," she said. "Stop being rude and answer him."

Harry flushed bright red and looked over at the man. "I'm sorry," he said.

Eli nodded, smirking a bit. "It's perfectly fine for you to be curious about new people and new surroundings," he said. "This is not going to be an easy class, and it's not something that you can slack off with. I know you're young, and it's not going to be easy for you to adjust to, at first," he said, leaning forward to look Harry directly in the eye. "So I need your word that you're going to take this class seriously, otherwise I will not take you on as a student."

It took a moment for Harry to think it over, but he nodded. "I'll do my best, I promise," he said.

"Good," Eli said, a satisfied glint in his eyes. "Now that we've got that settled, we can get down to business. We'll practice four days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday," he said before looking over at Petunia. "Unless your schedule doesn't fit that," he said.

She shook her head. "It sounds fine," she said.

Eli nodded. "The practice sessions will each last an hour, from three thirty to four thirty," he said. "And we'll start Tuesday."

"We can't start on Sunday?" Harry asked, a bit put out.

Eli chuckled a bit but shook his head. "I have to make sure the studio is ready to be used," he said. At Petunia's inquisitive gaze, he shrugged. "I've just recently moved into this place, and I'm still getting settled in here."

"Oh," Harry said, frowning a bit.

"Now, when you come in on Tuesday, Harry, I want you wearing clothing similar to what I've got on right now. Sweatpants and a lightweight t-shirt, and sneakers," he said. "Nothing too fancy, and nothing that you don't want to get ruined."

Harry nodded. "Okay, Mr. David," he said.

Petunia glanced down at her watch. When she noticed the time, she scowled. "Excuse me," she said, looking up at Eli. "I'm sorry, but I've got to take Harry back home."

He nodded. "Of course," he said. "It's not a problem."

Petunia stood up, setting her tea on an end table.

At a look from his aunt, Harry was on his feet as well. He put his tea on the same table and looked over at Eli. "Thank you for agreeing to teach me," he said.

"I suspect it will be my pleasure," Eli said, standing up and walking the two of them out of his house.

As they got into the car and Petunia started driving home, Harry watched her. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I wanted to be home before Dudley's soccer practice is over," she said. "I don't feel quite comfortable leaving Dudley home alone. Or you, for that matter."

"Oh," Harry said before falling silent and wondering what he'd be learning come Sunday afternoon.

…

They made it back home and were on their way inside as Piers' mother's car drove up.

Dudley jumped out of the car almost before it had stopped, and he ran up to Petunia, who gasped when she saw the large purple bruise on the side of his face.

"What the hell happened to you?" Petunia asked, kneeling down and inspecting his face.

"I got in a fight and the goalie kicked the ball at my face when I called him a donkeyface," Dudley said, a proud grin on his face. "Did you learn how to fight yet?" he asked.

Harry returned the grin as he and the older boy headed inside. "Not yet, but when I do, I'm going to be better than Bruce Lee when I do learn. Why'd you get in a fight?" he asked.

"The goalie called you a freak for liking music and not football. But you're my cousin and I'm the only one who's allowed to pick on you," Dudley said with a grin, plopping down on the couch and looking at Harry. "Remember when we were playing out back and you disappeared onto the roof, or when you fixed yourself after you fell out of the tree and broke your arm?" he asked.

Harry nodded. They hadn't told either Petunia or Vernon about either of those times, and Dudley had sworn to keep it a secret so as not to get Harry into trouble.

"Can you try and do it again, only this time to make the bruise go away?" he asked.

Harry frowned, but nodded. "Hold still," he said before pressing a hand gently against the bruise. He focused intently on the back of his hand, mentally repeating _fix the bruise, fix the bruise_. After a few seconds, he swore he felt his hand warm up.

Dudley moaned quietly, but didn't try to pull his head away until Harry lifted his hand from the side of Dudley's face.

When he lifted his hand up, Harry gasped in surprise. The bruise hadn't gone away completely, but it was a bit smaller, and instead of a deep purple, it had lightened incredibly to a sickly looking mix of yellow-green and light purple.

"Is it better?" Dudley asked. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"A little bit," Harry said.

Dudley grinned at him and ran upstairs to look at his face in the bathroom mirror.

From his spot on the couch, Harry grinned when he heard Dudley let out an excited yell. "Bloody brilliant you are, Harry!" he yelled as Petunia walked inside and shut the door.

"What has Dudley so excited?" she asked almost hesitantly.

Harry didn't have the time to say anything, because Dudley ran downstairs, grinning widely.

"Harry fixed my bruise, Mum, look!" he said.

Petunia frowned and once again knelt down to inspect Dudley's face.

"Isn't it amazing?" he asked when Petunia leaned back and looked over at Harry. She didn't say anything for a moment. "Mum?" Dudley asked, frowning at being ignored.

"You're lucky your cousin is incredibly talented," she said, looking back at Dudley and smiling a bit. "Go upstairs and clean up."

Dudley nodded and headed back upstairs.

As soon as she heard the bathroom door shut and the shower start, Petunia walked over and took a seat on the couch next to Harry. "Harry," she started in a quiet tone of voice.

"Am I in trouble?" Harry asked, watching Petunia with wide green eyes.

"No, of course not," she said, clearly unsure as to how to continue. "How long have you been able to do things like that?"

"A little while," he said. "When we were playing in the park last summer, I fell out of a tree and broke my arm, but I fixed it before Dudley and I came back home. Is there something wrong with me?"

Petunia shook her head. "You're just taking after your parents more than I expected," she said, with more bite to her tone than she'd intended. When she noticed Harry's flinch, she shook her head. "I'm not mad at you, Harry," she said. "Your mother and I didn't get along when we were children, and it's only gotten worse as we got older."

"But Uncle told me that my mother abandoned me and that he had no idea who my father was," he said.

"There's something that your uncle doesn't know about you," Petunia said.

"Will you tell me what it is?" Harry asked. "I can keep it a secret if you want."

Petunia nodded and opened her mouth to respond, but a knock on the front door caught her attention. "Just a moment, Harry," she said. "Wait right here," she said before standing up and heading to answer the front door.


	3. Chapter 2

Things are moving quicker than I'd expected, but whatever. My other project hit something of an incredibly minor block, so I thought I'd take a break from writing pretty much non-stop for 24 hours with … well, more writing. (I did switch from original writing to fan fictions, though so that should count for something, right?) Oh well, fuck it. Here's the next installment of Donahue.

Chapter 2

"Can I help you?" Petunia asked as two policemen walked inside without invitation.

They said nothing for a long moment, choosing instead to look around the living room. When one of them noticed Harry sitting on the couch, he motioned at the stairs. "Go wait upstairs, kid," he said.

Harry hesitated, looking over at Petunia. Only after she nodded did he run upstairs, and he headed toward his bedroom only to find Dudley walking out of the bathroom at the same time.

"What's happening? Did Piers' mom come back?" Dudley asked, pulling on his robe.

Harry shook his head. "There's two policemen downstairs," he said.

"Really?" Dudley asked, his face lighting up as he edged a bit toward the top of the stairs. "What are they saying?"

Harry shrugged again. "I can't tell," he said. "But it didn't look good," he said.

Dudley frowned and ran into his bedroom, pulling off his robe and reaching for the nearest clean clothes.

Harry headed into the bathroom and turned the water off before heading to the top of the stairs to try and eavesdrop on the conversation. He could only hear muffled voices, so he edged onto the actual staircase.

"Wait for me," Dudley said, running to catch up.

"Shh!" Harry hissed. "If they hear us coming, they're going to stop talking," he said quietly.

Dudley nodded, clapping a hand over his mouth as he followed Harry down the stairs and toward the living room.

The adults had all moved into the kitchen , and they were talking in hushed voices.

When Petunia dropped a glass and started crying, though, Dudley dropped any pretense of sneaking around and ran into the kitchen. "Mum!" he yelled, standing on his tiptoes and hugging Petunia around the waist. "Mum, what's wrong?"

Harry wasn't too far behind, though he avoided running so as to avoid attracting too much attention from the police officers. "Auntie?" he asked quietly.

Petunia did her best to gather herself and she looked down at Dudley. "Go get your shoes and coats on, boys," she said, wiping the tears out of her eyes and smiling a bit when neither boy moved.

Harry hesitated. "Auntie?" he asked again.

"Thank you for coming, officers," Petunia said, looking at the two men. "See yourselves out, please," she said, holding out her hand for Harry to take. He did so hesitantly, not sure what was going on.

One of the officers looked down at Harry, staring oddly at him for a moment before nodding. "Have a nice day, ma'am," he said before following his partner out of the house.

"Dudley, go get your shoes and coats on. We need to go to the hospital," she said.

Dudley nodded and ran to do as told.

Petunia knelt down and looked Harry right in the eye. "I know you're expecting answers, and I will give them to you," she said. "But while we're in the hospital, you have to promise me that you won't talk about your special skill," she said.

"It has to stay a secret?" Harry asked.

Petunia nodded. "I'll tell Dudley the same thing, but you cannot tell anyone else about what you can do, and you cannot try to use any of your skills," she said. "Promise me," she said.

Harry nodded. "I promise I won't tell anyone or do anything," he said.

"Good boy," she said. "Now go put your coat on and meet me in the car."

Harry nodded again and did as told.

…

As they headed into the hospital, Dudley drifted closer to Harry, reaching out and taking Harry's hand. "I'm scared," he said quietly when Harry looked up at him. Dudley been in the hospital the previous year with a bad case of the flu, and he'd had nightmares about the doctors for weeks after going home.

"Don't worry," Harry said, offering the older boy a small smile. "I'll protect you."

Dudley scowled a bit but nodded, glaring up at a doctor as they walked past her.

The two of them followed Petunia into a private room, where they saw Vernon Dursley lying unconscious on a bed, hooked up to an IV and a few other machines.

"Dad?" Dudley asked, letting go of Harry's hand and running up to his father's bed. "What happened to him?"

"He was mugged on his way to his car," the doctor said as he walked into the room. "You must be his wife?" he asked.

"Petunia," she introduced herself, nodding slightly. "What happened, exactly?" she asked.

"As far as I can tell, he refused to give up his wallet, so he was electrocuted," the doctor said. "My best bet is that he was shocked with a taser, and it sent him into a coma. The nurses have been keeping an eye on him, but there's no way for us to tell how long it's going to be for him to wake up." _Or if he's going to wake up at all_ was silently added onto the sentence.

Harry moved to sit in the far corner of the room, silently staring at Vernon.

The doctor took Petunia outside of the hospital room to talk privately about the details.

When the door shut behind them, Dudley looked over at Harry. "You fixed my bruise," he said. "Can you fix Dad?" he asked.

Harry hesitated a moment but shook his head. "I can't," he said.

"Why not?" Dudley asked, tears welling up in his eyes as he crawled onto the bed next to Vernon. "You fixed me."

"But I promised Auntie that I'd keep it a secret," Harry said, curling up into himself a bit when he was met with silence.

Dudley stared at him for a long moment before nodding a bit and laying on the bed next to Vernon, crying quietly and hugging the man's arm.

…

Three hours later, after visiting hours had concluded and the three of them had returned to #4 Privet Drive, Petunia had Harry sit back on the couch while she went upstairs to draw Dudley a bath.

About ten minutes later, she joined him on the couch. "Now, what I'm going to tell you is not going to be easy, but I want you to stay quiet until I'm finished," she said.

Harry nodded.

"Your mother was not a drug-addled teenager," Petunia said. "And you are really mine and Vernon's nephew."

"But I already knew that," Harry said with a frown. At Petunia's inquisitive look, he shrugged. "Uncle told me that my real parents abandoned me when I was a baby and when they were running away, but instead of coming back to make sure that I was alright, they sent me away and hoped for the best," he said.

"When did Vernon tell you this?"

"When Uncle and I went to get the Christmas tree this year, there was a letter for me on the doorstep. Uncle let me read it and after that, he told me what happened and how I came to live here," he said. "I put the letter in my hiding spot," he said brightly. "Do you want to read it?"

Petunia hesitated for a long moment before nodding. "I suppose," she said.

Harry smiled a bit and scrambled off the couch, running over to the cupboard under the stairs.

Petunia smiled a bit - Harry's favorite hiding spot had become one of the worst kept secrets in the house, much like Dudley's secret fort in the basement, which he'd built from cardboard boxes and a few couches that Petunia had replaced about a year ago. "It was just sitting on the front step?" she asked.

"Yep!" Harry said, barely loud enough for Petunia to hear. "I saw an owl on the top of the swing set in the park on our way to buy the tree, but Uncle's afraid of big birds, so I didn't tell him about it," he said as he walked back into the living room and handed Petunia the letter. "Can I go get a snack?" he asked.

Petunia nodded slightly, looking at the letter with a mildly apprehensive look on her face. "You can have a pudding if you'd like."

Harry smiled and left for the kitchen, leaving Petunia alone with the letter.

* * *

><p>To our son, Harry Potter.<p>

It has come to our attention that you are still alive, which was completely unexpected for us. Given the way things were when we left, we thought you would have been killed almost immediately. Fortunately, though, word has just reached us that you are alive.

As soon as you turn ten years old, we're coming to collect you and bring you into the world that you really belong in. It's still not entirely safe in our world, but your mother cannot bear to live with a fractured family any longer.

There are some things that you will need to be told when you come into our world, but the most important thing that you need to do right now is to start distancing yourself from the Dursleys, if you haven't been doing that already. Vernon and Petunia were never very pleasant people, and I have no doubt that their son is going to follow in their footsteps. Once we collect you, you will have to cut off all contact with the Dursley family, and that severance will be permanent, so distancing yourself now will make it easier for you when I come to get you.

Enjoy your life, but be prepared to leave your world behind to be with the rest of your real family as soon as you turn ten years old.

Your loving father, James.

* * *

><p>When Petunia finished reading through the letter a second time, she looked up and found Harry offering her a small bowl of chocolate pudding and a spoon. She smiled at him and took it, watching in mild amusement as the boy climbed back onto the couch and started in on his own bowl of pudding.<p>

"Why did James write in the letter that you and Uncle weren't pleasant?" he asked.

"Your parents tried to force their way into our wedding party, and Vernon confronted your father on it, eventually forcing him out of the venue entirely," she said. "Lily, your mother, had a tendency to think that she knew what was best for me, even if her choice was the complete opposite from my own choices," she said.

Harry waited slightly. "I'm going to have to go with them when I turn ten, aren't I?"

Petunia smiled and shook her head. "Your parents have no legal claim to you, unless you'd like to transfer custody back to them," she said. "When you were left here, Vernon took the necessary legal steps to make sure that we were your guardians, and when your parents made no claim to you by the time you were five years old, and there was no sign that they were still alive or had taken precautions to make sure you were taken care of in case anything happened to you, your Uncle and I filed for permanent adoption. It went through quite quickly, actually, so you're legally our son, even you're really our nephew."

At that, Harry smiled brightly. "Thank you, Auntie," he said. "And I'd like to stay, if you'll let me."

"Of course we'll let you stay," Petunia said as she returned the smile, setting the letter on the side of the couch and taking a bite of her pudding


	4. Chapter 3

Oh, as a note, my university semester starts again soon, so updates are probably going to become more erratic in a week or so.

And here's another chapter. Enjoy.

Just a note: feedback motivates me to update sooner.

Chapter 3

(4 Years Later)

"Auntie, guess what? I won the bet!" Harry yelled, running out of the studio room and down the main hall. Eli followed behind him, holding a hand up to his bloody nose.

Petunia was silent for a moment, clearly not sure what to make of the situation. "Is everything alright?" she asked finally.

Eli nodded. "I lost a bet with him and then I made the mistake of forgetting how quick the little bastard is when he's determined," he said with a grin. "Nothing's broken, and he's more than fine."

Harry nodded, grinning almost madly up at Petunia. "Eli said that next time we meet he's going to test me, and if I pass, that means I'm going to be a level 1 expert!" he said, bouncing up and down. "That means I'm almost caught up with Eli!"

"Really?" Petunia asked, shifting her gaze from Harry to Eli.

The older man shrugged. "Before moving out here, I tested at a level 4 Expert. He has an entire week to practice and make sure that he's ready for the test, though, so we won't meet again until next Sunday," he said, reaching out and slapping Harry lightly on the back of the head. "Go clean up and change out of your practice clothes," he said.

Harry nodded, running back down the hall and into the bathroom to do as told.

"He's barely ten years old and he's already an expert?" Petunia asked once the bathroom door shut behind Harry.

"When I first started teaching him, I kept some things toned down, but he's made it clear that he's more than able to handle everything that I've taught him so far," Eli said before stepping off to the side a bit. "Come on in," he said. "I'll get you something to drink and I'll grab something for my nose," he said.

Petunia smiled a bit before pausing. She reached into her purse and took out a handkerchief, handing it to Eli. "Use this," she said.

He nodded his thanks. "I'll clean this up and get it back to you," he said as he and Petunia headed down the hall. "How's your husband doing?" he asked in a much gentler tone of voice.

"Much better, thank you," Petunia said. "He's recently been promoted, and the doctors told him that he's completely recovered," she said. Vernon had been in the coma for nearly a year before waking up, and complications after that had led to him getting a pacemaker installed in his heart. "He wanted to thank you for what you did for him with his company, by the way."

Eli shrugged. "It was nothing, really. My brothers and I have been incredibly pleased at how well Vernon's been managing our accounts. It seemed only natural to make sure that he continues to oversee it."

Petunia smiled. "Yes, but it was because of you that he's now in charge of all Middle Eastern accounts," she said.

Eli was silent for a moment as they walked into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair for her before heading over to turn on his kettle. "You're still a fan of ginger tea, right?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," Petunia said.

Eli nodded, more to himself than to Petunia as he pulled two mugs and two tea bags from his cabinet. "Now, Harry has been talking for the past month about what Dudley is going to get for his birthday," he said, heading back to the kitchen table. "Something about a puppy," he added.

Petunia laughed quietly. "He managed to talk Vernon and I into it this year, and Dudley has been asking for a dalmatian since he was five years old," she said. "We're going to head into town to buy the puppy after we leave here."

Eli smiled a bit. "Is Harry not a dog person?" he asked.

"Vernon and I have actually been debating what sort of pet to get Harry," she said. "But judging from the fact that every time we've gone to the zoo, he spends most of his time in the reptile house, we were thinking about getting him a tegu or an iguana," she said.

"Why not a snake?" Eli asked curiously.

"Vernon's concerned about what they're capable of doing to a child, even accidentally. He refuses to admit that he's scared of them," she said, blushing slightly.

Eli laughed outright at that, but before he had the chance to say anything, Harry wandered into the room.

The boy was dressed in the blue jeans and white hoodie he'd been wearing when he first came to the lesson, and there was a towel dropped on top of his head. "Eli?" he asked, taking a seat in the last open chair. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Eli grinned, tentatively pulling the handkerchief away from his nose. "The bleeding's slowed down quite a bit, and there's nothing broken," he said. "Start drying your hair."

"But it takes forever!" Harry said, pouting.

"It wouldn't take forever if you decided to get a haircut, brat," Eli said, making an odd motion at Harry's still wet, shoulder length black hair. "And keep in mind that I've been nice and haven't made use of the handle it makes when you have it tied back in a ponytail," he said with a smirk.

"You're just jealous cause you can't grow long hair," Harry groused, though he did as instructed and started to dry his hair. "Are we still going to the pet shop after this?" he asked.

Petunia nodded.

"Cool," Harry said, grinning.

…

"Dudley's going to love the puppy, isn't he?" Harry asked, looking up at Petunia as they walked into the store.

She nodded. "Of course he is," she said, smiling at her nephew's infectious enthusiasm. "Now, before we choose the puppy, I'm going to get the supplies for the dog. Why don't you go look at the animals and I'll meet you there in a few minutes?" she asked.

Harry nodded, quickly making his way to the side of the store where the animals were housed. There were almost two dozen dogs, and as many cats, all of them in cages of their own, and there was even a monkey in the last cage. He passed them all without looking too long, though, feeling almost drawn to the back. He walked past a row of birdcages, two rows of fishtanks, and found himself stopping in front of a large reptile tank.

A few seconds after he stopped in front of the tank, he noticed a snake about two feet long moving out from under a hollowed out log, and his eyes lit up. The snake had purplish-black scales that shone iridescently as the snake approached the front of the tank. _"You are a rather intriguing child,_" it hissed, inspecting Harry.

The boy inhaled sharply, his eyes narrowing at the snake.

That action caught it's attention, and it lifted it's head up to be about eye level with Harry. "_Nod if you can understand me, boy, but do not say anything_," it hissed.

Harry nodded slightly, looking around to see if anyone else was paying attention. He bit back a sigh of relief when he realized that there was no one else standing close enough to overhear him.

"_This is rather fascinating_," the snake said quietly. "_It was my understanding that Speakers were extinct._"

Harry shrugged slightly. "_Can I pick you up?_" he asked, completely unaware that he was speaking another language. "_I've never held a snake before_."

The snake paused a moment before nodding. "_Do not say anything else to me when other people might hear you,_" it said. "_And you may hold me, I suppose, as long as you swear never to drop me. Open tank and hold your hands still_," it added.

Harry smiled and looked at the tank. There was a latch on the side, so he carefully lifted the latch and held out his hands, keeping them as still as he possibly could.

The snake cautiously moved forward, entwining itself around Harry's left arm to ensure that Harry wouldn't be able to drop him without putting a certain amount of effort into it. After it had made itself comfortable around Harry's left arm, resting it's head on Harry's shoulder, it inspected Harry a bit more closely, flicking its tongue out and tickling Harry's neck.

The boy giggled quietly.

"_There will be time for you to introduce yourself to me later, but you ought to know my name now. The woman who owned me before had the horrible habit of changing my name, but she seemed to favor calling me Kado_," it said. At Harry's confused look, it sighed - or as much as a snake could. "_She had an odd fascination with all things Japanese, and I was made to suffer because of that. The name has grown on me, though_," it said.

"Harry?" Petunia called, walking over to the pet section. "Harry, where are you?"

"Coming, Auntie," Harry said, walking over to her. "I know we came to get Dudley a puppy, but do you think we could bring this snake back with us too?" he asked, ignoring the frightened look on her face as he approached her with Kado wrapped around his arm.

"What kind of snake is that, Harry?" Petunia asked. "Never mind. Come with me."

He shrugged. "He's real pretty," Harry said.

"_I'll have you know I take offense to being called pretty, boy_," Kado hissed.

Harry did an impressive job at ignoring him in favor of following Petunia to find the nearest store clerk.

The only clerk working in the pet section was a woman with pale skin and bright pink hair. "Can I help you?" she asked dispassionately, blowing a bubble with her chewing gum.

"First of all," Petunia started. "I'd like to know why it is so easy for children to get into your reptile cages to pick up a potentially dangerous animal."

The woman looked down at Harry and Kado, no expression whatsoever on her face. "Doesn't look dangerous to me," she said dryly. "What else can I help you with?"

Petunia sighed heavily. "I'm going to purchase the snake, anything it needs, and the dalmatian puppy I called to reserve earlier today," she said, clearly getting quickly fed up with the clerk's overly casual attitude.

"Great," the clerk said, looking back at Harry. "The snake has to go back in it's cage until you get home, kid. I'll get Jesse to help you."

Harry frowned but nodded, heading back to Kado's tank.

…

When they parked in the driveway of their house, Petunia turned to look at Harry, who was still fascinated with the snake in his lap. "Harry," she said, immediately getting his attention. "I understand that you are quite taken with your new pet, but your uncle is a bit afraid of snakes," she said. "So, until he gets used to the idea that there is a snake in the house, please don't walk around with the snake wrapped around your neck."

"I understand, Auntie," he said.

"Thank you. Now, would you like to help me bring the puppy and make sure everything is set up before your cousin gets back from Piers' house" she asked.

Harry nodded and put Kado back into the shoebox he'd been given after Petunia bought the snake.

"_Do not leave me in here too long_," Kado hissed quietly as Harry put the top on the box.

Harry grinned down at the top of the box before getting out of the car and helping his aunt unpack.

Vernon was already home, and he was setting the table for Dudley's favorite dinner of chocolate chip pancakes and sausages. "How was your day, Harry?" he asked as Harry walked into the house, carrying a large paper bag full of puppy supplies.

"Really good," Harry said brightly. "Eli's going to test me next week, and Auntie and I went to the pet store. We got Dudley a puppy and Auntie let me buy a snake!" he said.

"What kind of snake?" Vernon asked, immediately focusing on that part of Harry's statement.

"A baby python," Harry said. "He's really tame," he said.

Vernon nodded hesitantly. "Just be careful with it," he said. When Harry nodded, he smiled slightly. "Do you need help bringing the tank inside?" he asked.

"Yes, please," Harry said, grinning up at his uncle.

…

Ten minutes later, after everything had been set up, both for the puppy and for Kado, Harry found himself waiting for Dudley on the front porch, unable to wait to share the surprise with his cousin. When he saw Piers' mother's car driving up, he opened the door and yelled, "Dudley's back!"

Almost before the car had parked, Dudley was out of the car, a huge grin on his face.

"Happy birthday, Dudley!" Harry yelled, running up and nearly tackling Dudley with his hug. "Hi, Piers!" he said, waving to the taller boy as Petunia walked out of the house to talk to Piers' mother.

"Mum," Dudley said. "Can Piers stay for dinner?"

Piers looked to his mother, but she shook her head. "Sorry boys," she said. "But Piers has a doctor's appointment in half an hour," she said.

Petunia looked over at Dudley and Harry. "Go inside and wash up for dinner," she said. "You'll see Piers tomorrow at the birthday party," she added.

The two of them nodded and went inside after bidding Piers a goodbye.

"You're still going to be able to make it, aren't you?" Petunia asked.

The other woman nodded, smiling. "We'll be here at three, yes," she said.

"Thank you for this, by the way, Naomi."

"Not at all, Petunia," she said. "I'm just glad Piers has a friend who doesn't let him push them around," she said. "We'll see you at the party tomorrow."

"Of course," Petunia said, stepping back as Naomi started the car and drove away. She was on her way back inside when someone chuckled quietly nearby. She stopped and looked around, scowling when she saw who it was. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked. "You're not welcome here."

"I know I'm a bit early, but I heard there was a party," came the smug response.


	5. Chapter 4

Y'all probably won't like this chapter. Hell, I don't entirely like it, but it was necessary to move the plot forward. It's kind of short, so for that, I apologize. The other chapters will be longer.

Another update should happen in a few days, but I think I've got a job, so it might take up to a week.)

Chapter 4

"You were never invited to this party," Petunia snapped, glancing into the front window to make sure that neither Dudley nor Harry were coming close to the window. She bit back a smile when she realized that Vernon had sent both boys upstairs to clean up for dinner. "And you're not welcome inside my house, either," she said, turning a glare onto the man.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Miss _Evans_, we're family," the man said coldly.

"It's Mrs. Dursley to you, James," Petunia snapped, glaring at her brother-in-law. "Leave."

The dark-haired man shook his head, smiling coldly. "I'm here to collect my son," he said. "Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"How about neither?" Vernon asked as he stepped outside, closing the door behind him with a quiet 'click'. "You abandoned him when he was an infant and left nothing for him. You have no right to be here," he said coldly. "Petunia, go inside and make sure the boys don't come out here."

Petunia nodded and headed inside. As she passed the living room, though, she noticed Harry staring out the window. "Harry?" she asked, doing her best to keep her voice even.

"Is that my dad?" Harry asked, still staring out the window. "He looks enough like me, kind of. I don't like his glasses. They're too big."

Petunia smiled slightly. "That is your father, yes. Your uncle's going to do his best to get rid of him," she said. "Have you cleaned up for dinner?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said quietly, looking over at her. "Do you want me to finish setting the table?"

"Sure," Petunia said, looking through the window. She met James' eyes as she ushered Harry into the kitchen.

"What do you think Dudley's going to name his puppy?" Harry asked as he took a carton of milk from the refrigerator. "He still watches Mulan in his room at night. Maybe he's going to call the puppy Mushu," he said.

Petunia smiled down at Harry, thankful that the boy knew when to change the subject. "Maybe," she said, taking four glasses from the cabinet and bringing them out to the dining room table. "But he does also like Lord of the Rings, so he might choose Samwise or Frodo."

"What about Gandalf?" Harry asked, grinning.

"Or Pippin?" she asked.

Before either of them could say anything, though, the front door slammed open and a stream of curses from Vernon followed James into the house.

"You have no right to keep him from me," James snapped. "He is my son."

"Not according to the law," Vernon growled.

James pulled a small file of paper from nowhere and thrust it into Vernon's chest. "I had a feeling you'd pull some bullshit trick to try and turn my son against me," he snapped. "He's no longer your concern."

The blood drained from Petunia's face and she knelt down. "Go upstairs and check on your cousin," she said quietly. "And don't tell him about what's going on down here."

Harry nodded and snuck past the two men, running upstairs.

Dudley was in the shower, and the voices downstairs quickly escalated into yelling, so Harry headed into his bedroom.

"_Boy,_" Kado hissed, perking up as Harry walked into his room and shut the door quietly behind him. "_Why are people yelling downstairs?_"

"_My father came back, and I think he's going to try and take me with him_," Harry said, opening the side of the tank and holding out his arm for Kado to wrap around. He sat down on his bed and allowed the snake to make himself comfortable in one of the patches of sunlight on the bed.

Footsteps coming up the stairs caught both of their attention.

"_Do not speak with me until you know that we'll have enough time to talk without being interrupted_," Kado said, moving back to wrap himself around Harry's left arm. "_Tap my side twice if you need my help_," he said before laying his head on Harry's shoulder, ready to strike out to protect Harry if need be.

Harry nodded as his door opened to reveal a tall man with dark brown hair and green eyes, doing his best not to look irritated. "Who are you?" he asked.

"There's time for that later," the man said. "Start packing your things. I'm taking you back home," he said irritably, tossing a few duffel bags onto the floor.

"But-"

"Don't argue with me. Start packing your things."

Harry remained silent, giving the man no answer.

He scowled and tightened his hold on the door handle. "You've got ten minutes to pack what you want to bring. Anything else is going to be left behind," he said before walking out of the room and going back downstairs. "And get rid of that snake!"

Harry stood up and followed him, a glare on his face. "I don't want to leave," he snapped.

"You don't have a choice in the matter! You belong with your family," James said, turning around to face Harry. "Your mother misses you, and you need to be with your own kind!" James said, his voice getting louder until he ended in a yell.

"I am with my family," Harry yelled back. "You left me to die, asshole!"

"Harrison!" Petunia snapped, fixating a glare on him in spite of the tears in her eyes.

"When did Harry get a snake?" Vernon asked, glancing over at Petunia.

She smiled slightly. "We stopped by the pet shop earlier," she said quietly. "And Harry, you watch your language."

Harry looked over at her. "Sorry Auntie," he said, glaring up at James. "I'm not leaving."

"We can't keep you, Harry," Vernon said, sounding defeated. He was staring at the papers that James had shoved at him earlier. "He's taken all the legal steps to get you back, and not just with his legal system," he said. "If we try to stop him from taking you, we'll be charged with kidnapping and Dudley would be put into the foster system."

Harry was silent for a moment. "If I go with you, you have to promise that you're going to leave Auntie, Uncle, and Dudley alone," he said. "No kidnapping charges."

James smirked slightly. "There won't even be a letter between us," he said.

Harry scowled.

Petunia leaned against Vernon, doing her best to wipe the tears from her eyes without attracting attention.

"And I want to be able to visit them," Harry said.

"You can't," James said coldly. "They don't belong in our world and I will not risk exposing our world to indulge in some childish desire to fraternize with outsiders."

"At least the outsiders had the humanity to raise me when you found it inconvenient," Harry snapped.

James' expression visibly shuttered closed, and his brown eyes narrowed to mere slits. "Go back upstairs and pack your bags. I'll let you say goodbye before we leave, but that's it," he said. At the rebellious look on Harry's face, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Fight me on this and I'll level charges," he said coldly.

Harry scowled, looking over at Petunia, who was still trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Fine," he said quietly, biting back tears. He turned a vicious glare onto James. "But I hate you."

James' expression softened slightly, but he clearly wasn't budging. "That'll change once you're with your own kind," he said. "Go upstairs and pack."

"Fine," Harry snapped, turning around and stalking upstairs into his bedroom.

As he walked upstairs, Kado shifted a bit, catching Harry's attention again. "_I am not going to let that insufferable man separate us_," he hissed, tightening himself around Harry's arm.

Harry smiled a bit, looking down at Kado before picking up one of the duffel bags and reluctantly packing it.

…

About twenty minutes later, after he'd packed up most of his clothes and the other things that he could fit into the three bags that James had given him, Harry found himself walking down the sidewalk and toward the park. Kado had stayed wrapped around Harry's arm, though he had hidden himself in the folds of the sweatshirt the younger boy had thrown on. He'd been rushed through his farewells to the Dursleys, and he was certain that he'd never be able to forget the look of betrayal on Dudley's face.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked as James pulled him behind the large oak tree just outside of the park.

James turned around and leaned down so that he was eye level with Harry. "No matter what, you need to keep your mouth closed and hold still. I don't want to hurt you," he said.

Harry merely scowled, but did as told.

James pulled him into a tight embrace and quietly counter down from three. When he reached one, he clutched Harry tighter.

The young boy felt the sudden sensation that he was being squeezed into a small box without any air.

Then, with an almost deafening pop, the two of them disappeared.

They reappeared a moment later in front of a large house.

James stepped back once he was sure that Harry was steady on his feet. He smiled at the boy, gesturing at the house. "Welcome home, Harry," he said.


	6. Chapter 5

New chapter! Yippee! (now back to homework, unfortunately).

Oh yeah, I forgot to do this in the previous chapters, but I don't own anything but the original characters in this fanfic.

I hope y'all enjoy this new chapter, and remember: feedback is delicious.

Chapter 5

"Welcome to Potter Manor, kid," James said with an arrogant grin.

As soon as Harry could stand on his own, he wandered toward the house. It was enormous, even bigger than Eli's Manor, but it looked almost as though it was falling apart.

James was only half a step behind Harry, watching the boy for a long moment. "It's bigger on the inside, and you've got an entire wing to yourself," he said. "Your mother and I have the North wing, your sister has the East wing, and yours is the West wing," he said. At the almost confused look on Harry's face, he grinned. "Yeah, kiddo, you've got a sister. She's 14 months older than you, and she's been looking forward to meeting you since she found out that she had a brother."

Harry remained silent, doing his best not to glower. If he was going to be forced to live with these strangers, he supposed it would be a good idea to try and stay on their good sides, at least for the time being.

"Come on, kiddo," James said, resting a hand on Harry's back and walking the boy inside.

The interior was almost as intimidating as the outside of the house. It looked old, and everything seemed too expensive. Just like in a museum, Harry did his best not to touch anything so it didn't break. The front hall was lined with portraits that moved, and the painted people watched as he and James walked further inside, muttering to themselves about the newcomer.

After they headed past a few sitting rooms, another hallway, and two flights of stairs, a young girl ran out from a kitchen. "Daddy, you're back!" she yelled before running to him and halfway tackling him in a hug. "And you brought my little brother!" she crowed, moving in to hug Harry. "He's so adorable!"

He took a deliberate step away from her and narrowed his eyes when she scowled.

"Why's he not talking?" she asked.

"Auntie always told me that if I can't say something nice, then I'm not allowed to say anything at all," Harry snapped. "And don't touch me," he said, sending a glare her way when she tried to hug him again.

"You're being rude, Harry," James said, his tone hardening a bit.

"That's his name?" an older woman with red hair asked as she walked out of the same room that the girl had come from.

James nodded. "Cody Harrison Donahue Potter," he said. "I got custody back pretty easily, but your sister's husband did some sort of under the table arrangement, and I cannot change the boy's name. The best I could do was legally adopt him into the Potter family." He shrugged and stepped over to the woman, presumably his wife. "After they changed his name, something strange happened. There was a snafu at the ministry and Harry's been named as the heir to some old Scottish family."

"There's a Donahue family?"

"Poor, and I had to do some digging. Harry was named as the heir by some old bat in a loft in the slums of Glasgow. She died of a heart attack a few years ago," he said.

Harry scowled up at James, irritated at how easily he could be ignored. He looked around the room, not sure what to do. When he found himself wrapped up in a hug, he growled quietly and pulled himself out of the embrace. "What is it about don't touch me that you don't understand?" he snapped, glaring at the girl.

She ignored the glare. "My name is Primrose Evelyn Potter," she said. "But most people call me Rose. It's nice to meet you, Cody," she said.

"He goes by Harry," James said before snapping his fingers.

A short, bizarre-looking creature with large green eyes appeared with a loud pop. "How can Fritzy be helping you, Master?" he asked.

James pulled out three shrunken duffle bags and tossed them to the creature. "Show Harry to his wing and help him get settled," he said. When he saw the look that Harry was leveling on Rose, he cleared his throat to get the attention of both children. "Harry, if you need some space, be polite and let Rose know. And Rose, don't push yourself onto Harry. He needs some time to get acclimated to his home."

Harry glowered up at James before following the house elf through the halls.

Nearly five full minutes later, the house elf stopped in front of a room with double doors.

"This is young Master's bedroom," Fritzy said. "If it does not meet young Master's approval, you may change the room simply by stating what you wish to be changed," he said, unshrinking the three duffle bags and setting them on the floor in front of the door. "If you need anything else, snap your fingers and Fritzy or Dizzy or Zanna will show up and help you with anything."

"Thank you," Harry said, biting back his curiosity at what sort of creature Fritzy was. As soon as the creature disappeared, Harry pushed the doors open and carried the bags into the room. What he saw took his breath away, and he only halfway remembered to close the doors behind himself.

The room was bigger than the entire second floor of the Dursley house, and it had two floors. On the first floor, there was a king-sized bed, a walls of empty bookshelves, a fireplace, and an enormous window.

Kado moved out from under Harry's sleeve and he hesitantly looked around the room. "_It's not too bad, as far as bribes go_," he hissed quietly, almost as though he were afraid that he'd be overheard.

"_I suppose not_," Harry said as he wandered up the stairs to see the second floor of his bedroom. There was a couch, a huge plasma screen tv, a few game systems, and a collection of movies and video games that numbered in the thousands. "_This is ridiculous_," he said, holding still as Kado moved off of Harry's shoulder and onto the couch. "_Do you need to have a tank here?_" he asked.

"_If it's all the same, I would much rather be free to roam. I find you are rather warm enough, if you do not object to sharing your body heat_," he said, looking over at Harry.

"_Not at all_," Harry said with a grin.

Kado nodded his head slightly as he settled down in a patch of sunlight. He hissed irritably when Harry flopped onto the couch next to him. "_Watch yourself, child_," he hissed irritably.

"_Sorry_," Harry said, grinning down at the snake. "_This is a new world for me. How do I get situated to all of this?_" he asked.

"_I would suggest you start by reading everything you can about your new world_," the snake hissed quietly. "_And do not leave me behind_," he added, moving into Harry's lap.

"_Wouldn't dream of it_," Harry said with a grin.

...

Three hours later, Harry was woken up by a loud scream. He jolted awake and glared up at the intruder, mentally preparing himself to attack, if need be.

"Why the hell is there a snake in here?" Rose shrieked.

"He's mine," Harry muttered darkly, his hands going to cover Kado.

"It's disgusting!" she snapped. "Get rid of it and come downstairs for supper."

Harry glared up at her. "I'm not hungry," he said. "Go away," he said when she showed no signs of leaving. "What?" he asked when she still didn't move.

"Supper is a family affair," she said snottily.

"Yes," Harry snapped, his eyes flashing in anger. "And I was taken from my family and I'm not allowed to contact them or your father will have them arrested and sent to jail," he said. "So there is no reason for you to be in here, is there?"

"You're mean," she said, frowning.

"Right," Harry said coldly, closing his eyes. "I was just stolen from my family, who raised me and cared for me and loved me, because you and your mother were bored and decided to find the child that your parents left behind when they were running away from something with their tails between their legs," he said.

"Daddy says you have to eat with us or you won't be allowed to eat for the rest of the night."

Harry opened one eye and glared at her. "Fine," he said after a long moment. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

"But you don't know how to get down to the dining room," she said.

"I'll get one of the little naked monkeys to help me, then," Harry said.

Rose grinned. "Those are House Elves," she said. "Not monkeys." Without any warning, she grabbed one of Harry's hand and tried to pull him to his feet. "Come on," she said. "I'll take you."

Harry bared his teeth and hissed at her. "I told you before. Do. Not. Touch me," he said, jerking his hand out of her hold. "I'll be down to eat in a few minutes, and I will find the way down without your help." He didn't move as he watched her leave the room.

"_Keep me with you, child_," Kado hissed, moving back around Harry's arm and hiding himself in the folds of Harry's hoodie.

Harry grinned down at the snake. "_Of course_," he said, standing up.

He wandered down the hall, remembering the way back to the main hall from his trip with the House Elf. This time, though, he was able to look at the portraits, and he was actually able to overhear what some of them were saying - none of it was particularly nice, either.

"_Do not talk to me outside of your room_," Kado said. "_I do not want to risk your safety if someone happens to overhear us talking_."

Harry nodded slightly and headed into a room where he heard Rose whining about something.

James and his wife were sitting at a table, as was Rose, and as soon as Harry walked into the room, Rose stopped talking and they all looked up at him.

"Hurry up and sit, would you?" Rose asked when Harry didn't immediately move to take a seat. "It's going to get cold."

The redheaded woman motioned at the chair next to her. "Calm down, Rose. Come have a seat next to me, Harry," she said. "My name is Lily. I'm your mother."

Harry hesitated for a moment before moving to do as told. As soon as he sat down, both James and Rose piled food onto their plates.

Lily looked over at Harry when she noticed that he wasn't moving to eat. "Aren't you hungry?" she asked. "Or would you like to eat something other than meatloaf and lasagna?"

Harry said nothing and reluctantly put some lasagna on his plate. He glared at it for a moment before taking a bite.

That seemed to placate Lily, at least for the moment. "I realize this is a big shock for you, Harry, and adjusting to this life is going to take some time," she said. "We're expecting to enroll you in a private school of sorts when you turn eleven, but until then, I've managed to find a tutor who's willing to teach you everything you'll need to know before then," she said.

James snorted loudly. "It's not Snivellus, is it?" he asked.

"No, James, it's not Severus," Lily said, a mildly irritated look on his face. "He's starting school again in a few months and he's made it clear that he doesn't want anything to do with our family after the stunt that you pulled at the Malfoy's Yule ball last year," she said, sending a mild glare in James' direction before turning her focus back onto Harry. "Since there's quite a bit for you to catch up on, the tutor is going to be moving into the guest room in the North wing for the time being."

Harry nodded slightly, reaching for the glass of grape juice in front of him. He didn't put too much effort into wondering if James or Lily had somehow found out what his favorite drink was, instead focusing on making as little trouble as possible before going back to his new room. He might be able to sneak a letter off to the Dursleys before going to bed for the night.

"When's the tutor getting here, then?" Rose asked.

"Tomorrow morning, around nine thirty," Lily said.

"Who is he?" James asked.

Lily smiled. "_She_, my adorably chauvinistic husband, is Theresa Greene."

"From the Ministry's Law Enforcement division?" James asked.

Lily nodded. "I know you don't like that she's from a dark family, but she's come out and renounced her family; and it was either asking her for help or going to Andromeda Black, and she's all but denounced our family after the Yule fiasco," she said.

"I'm finished," Rose announced. "Can I be excused?"

James nodded. "Of course, sweetheart. Don't get into too much trouble," he said, grinning as Rose smiled up at him before running out of the room.

Lily glanced over at Harry, who had finished eating as well. "You can be excused as well, if you'd like," she said.

Harry nodded slightly before leaving the dining room and starting to wander the halls. "_Where should we go, Kado_?" he asked under his breath.

"_I might suggest finding a library of sorts_," the snake hissed back. "_And what did I say about talking to me when you could be overheard_?" he hissed, briefly tightening his hold around Harry's arm in a silent warning.

"Sorry," Harry muttered quietly as he started up a flight upstairs to start exploring the manor. Best find a hiding spot now, as he had the feeling that Rose would be the type to wait in his new room and force him to play if she got too bored.


	7. Chapter 6

The ending for this chapter is a bit rushed, but I've tried to figure a way to work the next few chapters out without going completely off-plot. Nothing really satisfied me, so I'm doing my best to do what I can with what doesn't irritate the shit out of me.

Um, insert witty disclaimer here, I guess, and I'll try to update more frequently. Hopefully there won't be another month-long gap, but my Uni schedule is a bit chaotic at the moment. Shit, you didn't come here to read my ramblings. Enjoy the chapter (and leave feedback, pretty please)!

Chapter 6

"Harry, sweetie?" Lily asked as she knocked gently on the door and walked into Harry's room. The boy was asleep under a mound of comforters, and if she wasn't mistaken, there was a snake on the far end of the bed, apparently sleeping in one of the few patches of sunlight on the bed. "Harry," she said again, though this time a bit louder. "It's time to get up."

"Auntie?" Harry asked, stretching a bit before he sat up and looked around blearily. When he realized that he was in a new bed in the Potter Manor, and the recent events hadn't been a bizarre sort of nightmare, he turned a sleepy glare onto Lily. "Are you letting me go back to my family now?" he asked.

Lily's expression changed minutely, and for a brief second, it looked almost as though the woman was going to start crying. "We are your family, sweetheart," she said. "You need to get up and get ready for the rest of the day. Breakfast is going to be served in about an hour, and your tutor is going to be here shortly after that," she said.

"I want to go back with Auntie," Harry snapped, tossing a corner of his blanket on top of Kado to hide the snake and ignoring the irritated hiss he got in response.

"That's not an option anymore, Harry," Lily said, her tone a bit harder than before. "Your father and I both expect you to be cleaned up and in the dining room in time for breakfast," she said. "Your bathroom is behind the painting of the lion, and your wardrobe is behind the painting of the lion cubs. Just tap twice on either frame and it will open," she added, motioning at the aforementioned paintings, which were either side of the fireplace, before leaving the room.

"_She noticed me while you were waking up, brat_," Kado hissed irritably after the door had shut behind Lily. When he noticed the tired look on Harry's face, he wrapped himself around Harry's arm, watching the boy with an almost amused look on his face. "_I am not a venomous snake_," he said. "_If you need motivation to get out of bed, I am not above biting you awake_."

"_Traitor,_" Harry hissed quietly, though he got out of bed and headed for the painting of the lion. He knocked twice and stepped away from the painting, not entirely sure what to expect.

Kado tightened his hold on Harry's arm as the painting swung open, and only loosened when Harry could no longer feel the tips of his fingers. "_There is no reason to make your captors aggressive toward you,_" he said. "_They have been kind enough so far, and if you become a burden to them, they will get rid of you without a moment's thought,_" he hissed quietly as Harry looked around the bathroom.

Just like the bedroom, the bathroom was enormous. The bathtub was almost as big as Harry's bed, and there was a separate shower. The toilet was behind another door, which was next to the sink. The floor was a black slate sort of tile, the walls were green, and there was a large plant between the shower and the bathtub. Behind the plant was a stained glass window depicting a lion on it's hind legs, roaring.

"_How do you know they'll be so ready to get rid of me, especially after they went through all the trouble of kidnapping me in the first place_?" Harry asked, genuinely curious. He took a few cautious steps into the bathroom, making sure nothing was poised to jump out at him, before heading to the bathtub and turning the faucets to start drawing a bath.

Kado moved off of Harry's arm, settling on the side of the tub while the boy looked around for towels. "_My mother, as you would call her, was stolen from her home in a jungle in West Papua when she was pregnant, and my brood mates and I were sold to the highest bidders hours after we were born. The idiot who decided I would be an interesting addition to her collection did not appreciate the fact that I did not like her, and she sold me to the pet shop when she was bored with me_," he said as Harry stripped down and slid into the tub, which was now nearly full with hot water.

Harry was silent for a long moment, not sure what to say. Finally, he looked over at Kado. "_Then why are you so nice to me_?" he asked.

"_Because I find you a rather intriguing specimen of human_," Kado hissed with what looked to be a smile. "_I like to think it fate that you walked into that cursed pet shop_," he added, moving a bit closer to Harry.

"_Fate_?" Harry asked.

"_Or magic, perhaps_," Kado suggested slyly.

"_Like in the fairytales_?" Harry asked.

The snake hissed a bit, sounding quite a bit like he was laughing. "_You are a Speaker, and you seem to have adapted rather well to that fact, especially given that _," he said.

"_Uncle said I should never look a gift horse in the mouth. I like you, so I'm not going to question why you're talking to me in a way that I can understand_," Harry said.

Kado hesitated. _"And you've never experienced anything else that your Aunt and Uncle would consider odd?_" he asked.

"_If I focus, I can fix Dudley's bruises, and I can sometimes disappear and reappear somewhere else_," Harry said. "_But that doesn't mean that there's an entire world of magic, does it?_"

"_Why couldn't it_?" Kado asked.

"_There was that odd little house elf creature that I've never seen before_," Harry mused before reaching for a bottle of shampoo. He looked over at Kado. "_I'm sorry if I get you wet,_" he said before starting to bathe himself.

…

Half an hour later, Harry walked out of the wardrobe wearing a pair of loose sweatpants and a white long-sleeve Henley shirt. Kado was draped around his neck, as he'd refused to leave Harry's side when Harry decided to face the Potters again.

"_Are you ready for this_?" Kado asked, butting his head lightly against Harry's chin.

"_I suppose_," Harry said before walking out of the room.

In the dining room, all three Potters were already sitting at the table, as well as someone that Harry had never seen before. There was a woman sitting in the seat that he'd taken for dinner the previous evening. She was a small, middle-aged woman who looked almost frail, with close-cropped brown hair and pale blue eyes. She was wearing charcoal grey robes and, despite the fact that everyone else was eating, she was only drinking a glass of water.

"Daddy, it's that freaky snake again!" Rose shrieked when Harry walked into the room, dropping the bagel she was eating and glaring at Harry. "Make him get rid of it!"

"He's mine," Harry said irritably, lifting a hand to shield Kado in case one of the Potters decided to try and attack the snake.

"Rose, be polite," Lily chided. "Harry brought his snake with him, and as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, he's more than welcome to keep it. Just the same as you with your cat, wherever it is at the moment," she said before looking over at Harry. "Have a seat, Harry," she said.

Harry hesitated briefly before doing as told, taking a seat a few chairs away from the woman. He piled his plate full of bacon and sausages, offering a few to Kado when the snake quietly asked to share. Despite his reluctance at being forced to stay with the Potters, Petunia had only cooked sausages on special occasions, like Yule, or Vernon's birthday.

"That's quite an interesting pet you've got, young man," the new woman said, looking over at Harry. "It's not often such a young wizard can handle a pet snake without getting bitten," she said.

Harry looked up at the woman, not saying anything. After a moment, he looked over at Lily, still not saying anything.

"Harry, this is Theresa Greene," Lily said. "She's agreed to be your tutor, and to fill you in on everything that you've missed while you were with my Muggle relatives," she said. "Theresa, this is my son, Harrison."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Harrison," the woman said.

"I suppose," Harry replied before looking over at Lily. "You haven't earned the right to call me your son. Not when you kidnapped me from my home, where I was happy," he said coolly.

"You shouldn't be rude to mother," Rose said snottily.

Harry sent a glare at her. "You're just completely inconsequential either way," he snapped before turning back to his breakfast.

An odd glint came into Theresa's eyes as she looked Harry over. "How much do you know about the Wizarding World?" she asked.

"Nothing," Harry said as he quickly finished off his food.

"That makes my job just a bit harder," the woman said quietly. "We're going to have to start from the very beginning, then."

James scowled. "You and I have already discussed the particulars of this arrangement," he said. "Just keep that in mind when you're teaching the boy."

Harry glared at James, not saying anything.

"Mister Potter, your wife hired me to teach your son about our world. As much as you'd like to try and color the history of our world in your favor, my only instructions are to make sure he knows everything he needs to know to survive in our world," the woman said.

Harry looked over at the woman, completely surprised at the woman's statement. He found himself grinning over at her. "I'm ready to learn now, if you don't mind," he said.

She smirked over at him and put her glass of water on the table in front of her. "Excellent," she said. "Lead the way to your study room," she said.

When Harry hesitated for a moment, Lily cleared her throat quietly. "It's the room down the hall from your bedroom," she said.

Harry nodded slightly and stood up. "Is there going to be enough time for me to learn everything?" he asked.

Theresa chuckled quietly. "That all depends on how quickly you understand everything, I suppose. But you strike me as a smart enough young man, so I haven't given up hope just yet," she said as she and Harry walked out of the dining room.

…..

About ten minutes later, after Harry found his study room and made a few minor changes to the room - turning the walls pale green, and switching the furniture from red velvet to dark brown leather couches - he and Theresa settled into the large couch in front of the fireplace. The two of them watched Kado for a moment as he inspected the room, finally settling on an ottoman near the fireplace.

"As your mother said, my name is Theresa Elizabeth Greene," she said once she and Harry were a bit more comfortable in the room. "I work in the Law Enforcement division of the Ministry of Magic, but I've taken a leave of absence to teach you. And if you don't mind too much, I usually prefer to go by Beth."

"I'm Cody Harrison Donahue, but I go by Harry," Harry said.

Beth smiled slightly. "Good to know," she said. "Now, I understand that you grew up with Muggles."

Harry nodded. "With my Aunt and Uncle and Cousin, yeah," he said.

"So you know nothing about the magical world?"

Harry frowned. "Do fairy tales count?" he asked.

The older woman seemed to bite back a heavy sigh at that question. She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly. "Not even close," she said. "We're going to have to start from the very beginning, then. Make sure you listen carefully, as I don't like having to repeat myself," she said. "And we're going to start with the birth of humanity."

Harry nodded, fidgeting slightly before falling silent and listening to the woman as she regaled him with the evolution of Wizards and Witches throughout history.


	8. Chapter 7

The beginning of the education. (There won't be too many chapters of this before a time jump, but I'm hoping to answer some questions - both for Harry and for you guys.) Just as a note, feedback is great, and so is constructive critiquing. They both tend to shorten the time length between updates. So yeah. As always, enjoy! (and I don't own it, or whatever.)

Chapter 7

"At the beginning of time, humans behaved much like packs of wolves. They lived in packs, had their own territories, and would often fight with other humans whenever they encountered them. However, one pack was stronger than the others, and they managed to achieve something something that the other packs could never dream of. The story tends to vary here, with the pack either climbing to the top of the tallest mountain of the world, where they could communicate with a god, or with the pack trespassing along the boundary line between earth and paradise, but there are also some who believe that the pack was able to capture and keep an agent of fate, which some people call an angel," Beth said.

Harry frowned. "Which one do you believe?" he asked.

"I favor the notion that humans could trespass on paradise," she said. "And most of the wizards who care enough about their history to learn this story seem to choose that notion as well."

"Why don't they believe that humans could catch an angel?" Harry asked.

Beth grinned, reminding Harry quite a bit of a great white shark about to devour its prey. "It's a frightening notion, to those who are fully aware of it," she said. "An angel is capable of committing the most heinous acts conceivable without tainting what exists of it's soul," she said.

"Why?"

"If certain religions are to be believed, it is because they have the blessing of a god behind their every action," she said. "Though because they are the agents of fate, they are able to control and change a human's destiny without affecting their own fate," she added. "The muggles have adapted whatever creature controls fate into their deities, but we who possess the abilities to perform magic are not as naiive. We all must still respect fate, but it is rumored that the most powerful of our kind has the ability to challenge the creature and drastically change his own fate," she said.

Harry stayed silent, doing his best to absorb everything he was saying.

"Going back to the strongest pack," Beth said. "After they managed to prove themselves the most capable, fate blessed that pack with a gift. The ability to control and use magic," she said. "And from that pack descended all the wizards of the world. Do you understand?" she asked.

He nodded. "I think so," he said.

"Good," she said before pulling two very small books from a pocket of her robes. With one whispered word, the books grew to be a more average size. "These books are very old, so take good care of them," she said, handing them to Harry. "They tell the stories of every famous witch and wizard in history, both Light and Dark."

"Is that like good and evil?" Harry asked, gently setting the books on the coffee table in front of the couch.

Beth scowled and shook her head. "You will find that a number of wizards, particularly those like your parents and their daughter, who will think they are the same, but those who are truly educated are aware of the truth," she said. She pulled a long piece of wood out of another pocket. "We'll get to that in a moment," she said. "This is called a wand. We use it to channel our magic and focus it," she said.

Harry hesitated briefly, looking at the wand before looking back up at Beth, a hopeful look on his face.

"Just ask your question," she said. "Everything we talk about will be kept confidential, Harry. Your parents may be financing me as your tutor, but there will be some things that we talk about that would be frowned upon outside of this room," she said. "There is really no need to be hesitant here," she said.

"May I hold your wand?" Harry asked.

Beth smiled and carefully handed it over. "I'll allow you to hold mine because we must trust each other, but you must be incredibly careful about who you ask this question to in the future," she said. "Asking to see someone's wand is something of an intimate thing."

"Why?" Harry asked as he looked over the wand. It was just short of a foot long, made of an almost red colored wood. It didn't look like much, but when Harry ran his fingers along the length of it, he felt a small sting. He winced and handed the wand back to Beth.

"You will learn this when you have your own wand, but each wizard becomes so attached to his wand that it often becomes like a part of him," she said.

"I didn't mean to ask you something too private," Harry said as Beth said something in Latin. "What did you do?" he asked when he noticed a light silver tinge cover everything in the room.

Beth shook her head. "If I didn't want to share my wand, Harry, I wouldn't have allowed you to hold it," she said. "And I just performed a spell that prevents anyone from eavesdropping on us or recording what is discussed in the room. It reinforces the one that I did before we started speaking," she said.

"Why?"

"Because your father in particular is not going to appreciate our discussions of the differences between light and dark magic," she said. "And neither of your parents want me to tell you about the night before they sent you away."

"You know about that night?"

"I made sure to know everything I could about you before I agreed to be your tutor, Harry," she said. "After all, I could very well have been walking into a trap, given your father's reputation in our government."

"James has a reputation?"

"Headstrong and trigger happy, so to speak," she said. "He has imprisoned a number of good men and women, a number of my friends, because he believed that their orientation as dark wizards meant that they were committing crimes, which was not always the case."

"What do you mean, not always?"

Beth sighed. "In this country, the Light wizards have been in power for long enough that they have been able to make certain behaviors illegal," she said. "In some cities in places like Russia, though, the opposite is true, and the Dark wizards are the ones in charge. I don't think anywhere else as developed as we are has resorted to arresting people who aren't exactly conventional, though," she said.

"But what's the difference?" Harry asked.

"We'll cover that more extensively a bit later in your studies as well, so I'll stick with the basics today," she said. "The main difference that you need to worry about right now is that Dark magic thrives on the emotions of the user. Dark Wizards tend to have more vivid emotions, and the stronger they are, the more they have to work to keep their emotions under control," she said. "Because of that, they often keep an emotional mask on whenever they're in public, and always when they're around people they do not trust," she said.

"A mask?" Harry asked. "But not a masquerade mask or a Halloween mask?" she asked.

Beth hesitated. "You celebrated Halloween with your Muggle relatives?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "The neighbors did, but Dudley doesn't like monsters," he said. "And I don't like candy that much."

She hummed quietly. "Interesting," she said. "What I meant about the masks is that, in order to protect themselves, the Dark wizards do their best to hide their emotions. Their masks are developed over years, and in developing it, they learn to control and manage their emotions," she said.

"Is it just their emotions?"

"No," Beth said. "Their motives also factor into things, as well as the choices they make. Every wizard is born with an inclination to either Light or Dark, but as they grow up, their actions and the choices they make can lead to them either cementing their orientation as either Light or Dark," she said.

"Choices?" Harry asked.

Beth nodded. "That's something we'll cover some other time," she said. "I have a feeling that you're going to want to know what your orientation is before you go off to school," she said.

Harry nodded.

"Now, the night you were sent away," she started. A knock on the door interrupted her, and Beth looked over at the door with a sour look on her face. "Of course," she muttered darkly.

"What's wrong?"

"That would be your father interrupting our first lesson to make sure that I know the limitations that he's set on our lessons," she said, standing up. She pulled about half a dozen more books out from her pocket and picked up the other two books. She shrunk the two of them and handed them all to Harry. "I want you to start reading these," she said quietly. "But for now, put them in your pocket and do not let anyone else read them."

"They're secret?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Secret and very valuable. Your father will have them burnt if he finds them," she said.

Harry nodded and quickly tucked the books into the pocket of his sweatpants. "I'll keep them safe, I promise," he said.

"Good," Beth said. "And to read them, choose one, open it and say 'royal blue.' That will change it back to a readable size. Once you're done with it, close it and say 'crimson' to shrink it again."

Harry nodded again.

Another knock on the door, though this one was louder. "Open up!" James yelled, though his voice was muffled from the spells that Beth had set up.

"Just a moment, Mister Potter," Beth yelled loudly as she took out her wand and made a downward slashing motion with it. "Just a moment!"

Harry looked over at Kado.

The snake shook his head slightly. "_You may like her, but we cannot talk here_," he hissed. "_When we are in your bedroom, with the door locked, we can talk again. But not in front of her_," he hissed.

Harry nodded once and looked over at Beth. "Lily said that you were going to be living here," he said.

"For the next year or so, yes," she said. "I'm staying in the North wing, just down the hall from your parents."

"Open the fucking door!" James yelled.

Beth scowled and moved to do as told. "We'll talk again later this evening," she said before she opened the door.

James stormed in, quickly cornering Beth in the corner of the room. "Listen, you conniving little Slytherin, you're paid to teach my son what I told you he needs to learn," he snapped.

Beth took a step forward, getting in the man's face. "Your wife hired me to ensure that your son knows what he needs to learn to adjust to our world and survive in it," she hissed, looking almost amused at the outrage on the man's face. "As I told you after your wife hired me, I am not going to alter the history of our world just so your son will have the same view of the world as you," she said.

"He is my son!" James snarled. "He is mine to raise as I see fit!"

"Then you are well aware of how much he doesn't know, after spending a decade with your wife's Muggle relatives," she hissed. "You would do well not to interrupt any other lessons, otherwise I'll be forced to take the issue up with my employer."

James opened his mouth to respond, but Beth held up her hand.

"And, just for the record, _Potter_, I was in Ravenclaw," she said icily before brushing past James and walking out of the room.

Harry smirked, more intrigued than afraid when a red-faced James stormed over to him.

"She is not to be trusted, Harry! Do you understand me?"

Harry nodded. "I understand that you don't like her," he said as Kado quickly settled himself on Harry's shoulders. "But I would hope that, in the future, you will not continue to allow your prejudices to affect my education," he said before walking out of the room. He ignored James' calls for him to return, instead heading for his bedroom.

Once he'd shut and locked his bedroom doors, he looked around the room. "I want privacy, please," he said.

A light silver tinge, similar to the one from the study, settled throughout the room and Harry smiled to himself as he headed to the couch on the second floor of the room. Ignoring the television, he settled on the couch and pulled one of the books from his pocket.

"Royal blue."

The title read _Distinguishing the Differences between Dark and Light Magicks._

Harry smiled slightly and started reading as Kado moved from his shoulders to a sunny spot on the other end of the couch.


	9. Chapter 8

Howdy. Well, this is a bit awkward. I'm not entirely sure why, but whatever.

Oh yeah. Harry's just a few months shy of turning 11 years old, and Draco is about the same. Just clearing that up for y'all. Next chapter should be coming soon, but I won't make any solid promises.

Feedback is always appreciated. So, other than that, enjoy!

**Chapter 8**

Beth leaned back against the sofa, smiling slightly as she watched Harry wandlessly summon an orange from across the room. When the boy was successful, he walked over and plopped onto the couch next to her, handing her the orange. "Well done," she said. "You have made it much farther than I expected," she said.

"Really? It's been a whole seven months," Harry said, frowning a bit. "And what you've taught me has been pretty easy, for the most part. Except for the dancing, which I'm never going to be good at," he said.

"You're going to be a fine dancer, Harry," she said. "You just think far too much, and that gets in your way. As I told you before, the best thing for you to do when you're dancing is to think of it like you do with your Krav Maga practice. It's a routine, and eventually, with enough practice, it will become smooth and almost second nature," she said.

Harry said nothing, thinking it over a bit. "You said a while ago that most of the more detailed lessons you taught me weren't really ever taught any more," he said. "Why not?"

She frowned. "Unfortunately, most Light families don't bother teaching their children the entire history of our world, and far too often, they don't think it necessary to make sure their children know the basics of self control and the ability to use wandless magic," she said. "Hopefully, by my teaching you this, you're going to have a more rounded understanding of the way our world works, and as long as you have that, it will help to make up for the fact that you've only been in our world for seven months or so," she said, handing the orange back to Harry. "Eat up. You insisted on practicing through lunch, and I won't have you collapsing from exhaustion."

Harry nodded and started peeling the orange. "Did James tell you about the ball later tonight?" he asked, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.

Beth nodded slightly. "He informed me that I wasn't welcome to come, despite the fact that I received an invitation of my own," she said.

"Are you going with anyone?" Harry asked.

"I'm afraid not," Beth said. "Why?"

Harry frowned. "I don't trust James or Rose, and Lily has been acting really weird lately. She can't look at me anymore without starting to cry," he said. "And you'd be able to tell me if I messed anything up, and you could keep James away from me," he added.

"Are you asking to be my escort to the ball, Harry?" she asked, smiling slightly.

He flushed bright red, not saying anything for a long moment. Eventually, he nodded. "If you already have an escort, or if you don't want to go with me -"

"I would be honored," she said, just as someone started pounding on the door. "If that's James again, he and I are going to have a talk that ends with at least a few hexes scalding his hide," she said, standing up and walking to the door. "Oh. Miss Primrose. To what do we owe the pleasure of your interruption?" she asked, not even bothering to hide her irritation.

"Mother sent me up to tell Harry that we're going shopping for our clothes for the ball tonight," she said. "And Daddy told me to tell you not to get any ideas about coming with us to the ball," she added snottily.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Primrose," Beth said. She looked over her shoulder at Harry, who was absently eating a slice of orange. "Off with you, then," she said.

Harry nodded, hesitating a moment. "What color robes -"

"I would imagine you would look rather dashing in dark green and charcoal," Beth said.

He nodded again and tucked the remainder of his orange into his pocket as he stood up and picked up Kado. "I'll see you later, Beth," he said.

"And I you," she said, smiling at Harry as he left the room.

"You're not allowed to bring your worm out shopping with us," Rose snapped as she followed Harry into his bedroom. "And Daddy said that you're not allowed to bring it to the ball with us either," she said.

Harry scowled but didn't say anything. He set Kado down on the bed, biting back a grin at the snake's offer to strangle Rose in her sleep. "Where are we going for the clothing?" he asked.

"To Diagon Alley," she said. "There's a store there, called Madame Malkin's, and Daddy gets a discount whenever we go there," she said. "Don't take too long in getting ready."

Harry nodded slightly.

Rose hesitated for a moment, looking like she was about to say something, before she frowned to herself and walked out of Harry's bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

"_That child is odd,_" Kado hissed as soon as the door was shut.

"_She's gotten a little bit nicer to me_," Harry said as he pulled the orange out of his pocket and set it on the bed next to the python. "_She still doesn't like you, but she's afraid that you're going to bite her as soon as you get loose and then she'll die_," he said.

"_I'm not venomous, but if you'd like, I'm more than willing to chase her down and scare the life out of her,_" Kado said, sounding almost enthusiastic at the prospect.

Harry shook his head. "_Not until she's done something unforgivable, or until I'm feeling particularly vindictive,_" he said, smirking at the python. "_Are you going to be alright while I leave for this Diagon Alley?_" he asked.

Kado chuckled quietly. "_I appreciate the concern, child, but I am more than capable of entertaining myself for a few hours_," he said. "_If you're too worried, you can make it up to me when you get back with a nice, fat rat,_" he added before moving to settle in a sun patch near the window.

Harry grinned before walking out of the room.

Rose and Lily were waiting for him in the front hall. As soon as Lily saw him walking down the hall, she smiled at him, but Harry noticed the tears once again welling up in her eyes.

Rose saw the tears as well and sighed. "Mother, we can't go out if you keep sobbing whenever Harry comes around," she said irritably.

"I know, Rose," Lily said, wiping her eyes. She did her best to regain her composure, and within five or so minutes, she looked almost completely in control of herself. "Both of you, gather close," she said. "We're going to do a side-long Apparition into the Alley, and once we get there, I need both of you to stay close to me."

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Your father has been on a few Ministry raids, and that really hasn't helped to restore our family's reputation," Lily said as she knelt down a bit and wrapped her arms around Harry and Rose's shoulders. "Harry, this is your first time out in our world, and I know you're going to be fascinated with a number of things, but I don't want you leaving my side and I don't want you talking to anyone," she said. When she noticed the rebellious look on Harry's face, she frowned. "I'm doing my best to keep you safe, and I cannot do that if you insist on running off and getting into something that you can't handle on your own," she said.

Harry bit back his response and did his best to adopt an emotionless mask as he nodded. It seemed to work, as Lily sent a weak smile in his direction.

"Thank you," she said. "Close your eyes and hold still."

…

They reappeared a moment later, in a side alley, just a few feet away from the bustling main alley, and almost immediately, Rose had separated herself from Lily. "Mother, can I go to Fortescue's while you take care of Harry's dress robes?" she asked.

"As long as you keep to yourself and don't get into any trouble," Lily said, and Rose grinned up at her, quickly disappearing around the corner.

Harry took a few steps away from Lily, eyeing the woman as she started on her way out of the side-alley.

"Stay close, Harry," she said without looking behind herself.

Harry scowled but did as told, jogging slightly to catch up with her.

As soon as they were in the main Alley, Harry noticed that Lily was receiving a number of dirty looks from the richer-looking people in the alley, while he seemed to go mostly unnoticed. "Am I getting a suit, or something?" he asked, doing his best to ignore the looks.

"You can get a suit, if you'd like, but James and I would much rather that you get some dress robes," she said, returning one man's dirty look with a particularly vicious one of her own. She reached behind her and grabbed hold of Harry's hand, ignoring the half-growl that she got in response. "What colors would you like?" she asked, pulling him close and stepping into a store.

A young woman greeted them immediately. "Hi," she said brightly before she recognized Lily. "Lady Potter, it has been a while," she said, grinning. "Where's Rose?" she asked.

"She's off at Fortescue's at the moment," Lily said. "I was hoping Madame Malkin might be available for a private fitting for my son."

The woman's grin faltered momentarily as she looked over at Harry.

He scowled at her in response, jerking his arm out of Lily's hold.

"I didn't know you had a son," the woman said, heading to the register and looking at a book on the counter.

"Harrison lived with relatives until recently," Lily said, shooting a glare at Harry when he opened his mouth to disagree with her. "I was hoping to get some dress robes for Harrison for the Ministry ball tonight."

The woman nodded. "The Madame is just finishing up a fitting with Lucius Malfoy and his son, but she should be ready in a few minutes," she said. "Feel free to have a seat and wait for her, if you want," she added, motioning at the chairs against the window.

Lily nodded. "Thank you, Mallory," she said before walking over to sit in one of the chairs. "Harry, come sit down," she snapped when Harry hesitated briefly.

He scowled again but took a seat a few chairs away from Lily. He looked around the front room of the store, not seeing anything too interesting, but the muffled voice he heard from the other room caught his attention. He couldn't place why he was so interested in it, but it kept his attention, and he watched the doorway by the register to see who would walk out.

…

Almost ten minutes later, a tall, blond man walked out from behind the register, followed by a blond boy who was unmistakably the man's son. Harry visibly perked up as he looked the man over. He was one of the tallest men that Harry had ever seen at six four - even taller than James, who was six foot one. His blond hair reached his shoulder blades, and it was tied back with a black silk ribbon. He was wearing dark blue, almost black robes that communicated the man's power almost on their own. Overall, there was something about the man that captivated Harry's attention, and he found that he wasn't at all bothered with the glare the man landed on Lily.

"Miss Potter," the man said, and Harry bit back a flinch at the glacial tone.

"Lucius," Lily said, glaring back at him.

Harry turned his focus onto the boy behind the man, this Lucius, and he was more than slightly surprised to find that the boy was staring at him. He looked almost exactly like his father, though his hair was shorter, only reaching his shoulders, and his eyes, while they were the same mercury color, didn't hold the contempt in them that Lucius' did.

"Who are you?" the boy asked.

"Harrison Donahue," Harry said, standing up. "And you?"

The boy scoffed. "You're a Mudblood, then?" he asked.

Harry shook his head. "I'm the son that Lily and James thought they were better off without," he said. "They left me with Lily's Muggle relatives and only came to get me when I turned ten years old," he said.

The boy eyed him for a moment. "You don't like the Potters, then?" he asked.

Harry glanced over at Lily, making sure that she wasn't listening in on the conversation. He bit back a smirk when he noticed that she was fully engaged in what looked to be a less than pleasant conversation with Lucius. "No," he said, looking back over at the boy. "Who are you?" he asked again.

The boy smirked and offered his hand to Harry. "Draco Malfoy," he said. "And my father, Lucius," he added, jerking his head in his father's direction.

Slightly unnerved by the smirk, Harry hesitated before shaking the boy's hand. "It's nice to meet you?" he asked.

Draco nodded. "Oh, most definitely," he said, waiting a moment before releasing Harry's hand. "Are you coming to the Ministry thing tonight?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "James wants to formally announce the reunification of the Potter family, or some other pompous thing," he said.

"So he's going to parade you around the ball and treat you like the main exhibit at a carnival?" Draco asked.

Harry shrugged. "I expect so," he said.

"That's a shame," Draco said. "Find me at the ball tonight and I'll introduce you to the right kind of people," he said. "And if you're going to Hogwarts in the fall, you and I can take the place over," he added.

"Harry," Lily snapped, glaring at Draco. "Madame Malkin will see us now. Say goodbye to the younger Malfoy and get going. We don't have all day!"

Harry scowled at her but nodded. "I look forward to seeing you later," he said.

Draco smirked again and nodded as well. "I'll make sure you have a good time, too," he said.

"Draco," Lucius said, in a much more gentle tone than Lily had used. "We're going to be late for lunch with your mother," he said.

"I'll see you later, Harrison," Draco said before following Lucius out of the shop.

"Harry!" Lily all but yelled. "In the back room! Now!"

Harry did as told, all the while muttering hateful things in Parseltongue under his breath.

...

An older woman smiled warmly at him as he walked into a large fitting room. "Hello, young Mister Potter," she said. "I understand you need dress robes for this evening."

Harry nodded. "Yes, please," he said.

"We don't have much time, then. Let's get started," she said


	10. Chapter 9

Party time! (Well, sort of.) I got really curious about what would happen at the ball, and I started writing, and then the plot just sort of took over. The chapter also ended up much longer than I originally expected it to be. I'm going to do my best to keep the rest of the chapters at the same length as this chapter, but I can't guarantee anything.

I wanted to thank y'all for the feedback - it's been a really great motivator - and I thought the best way to show my gratitude was by posting another chapter for you.

As always, enjoy! (and I feel like a little kid for posting this, but feedback is like cookies!)

**Chapter 9**

Harry walked into the ballroom behind James, tugging uncomfortably on his robes. He'd settled on dark green silk dress robes, which were lined in a dark charcoal color, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that he looked like he was wearing a dress. Rose had seemed to take a great deal of delight in his discomfort, and she'd teased Harry relentlessly after learning the reason behind it. James had thought it almost entertaining, even though Harry did his best not to react to the taunts, and he had even joined Rose in a few particularly vicious barbs. Lily only intervened just before a fight broke out between the two, telling James to take Harry with him, and that she and Rose would come to the ball with the Weasley family, whoever they were.

The ballroom was still relatively empty, as only a few dozen people had arrived at the party so far. Harry didn't see Lily or Rose, at least, and he took a great deal of comfort in that.

In one of the far corners of the room, Harry saw the distinctive blond hair of the Malfoys that he'd met earlier that day, and he started in their direction in the hopes that Draco wouldn't mind being used as a buffer to keep James away from Harry. He didn't make it more than a few steps before James grabbed hold of the back of Harry's dress robes and all but hauled him back to his side.

"Where do you think you're going?" James asked, eyeing Harry suspiciously.

"I'm thirsty?" Harry tried, hoping the man wasn't planning on keeping him on a leash all night.

James frowned slightly before nodding. "Don't stray too far," he said. "I want to introduce you to a few people before the party really gets started," he said.

Harry nodded and, well aware that James was watching him, made his way over to the bar on the left side of the room. He was about to order a glass of water from the bartender when he felt a hand land on his shoulder and he turned around to face whoever had approached him.

"You look rather dashing this evening, Harrison," Beth said, smiling when the compliment made the boy blush a bright red.

"Thank you, Beth," Harry said before falling silent. "James has me on a leash tonight, so I don't think I'm going to be able to be your escort."

She nodded. "I had expected as much. He's going to do his best to introduce you to the more important people in the Ministry this evening," she said. "If you have any questions, I'll be here until around midnight."

Harry smiled up at her, grateful for the offer. "Thank you," he said. He looked at the dress that she was wearing and grinned. "You're wearing gray and green?" he asked.

"I have to do something to show that I am supportive of my best student."

"I thought I was your only student," Harry said, frowning slightly.

"So you are," Beth mused with a smirk. "Oh, before I forget," she said, reaching into her clutch and pulling out a pair of plain black gloves that looked to be a size or two too small for her.

"But you're already wearing gloves," Harry said, looking pointedly at the charcoal gloves that covered Beth's hands.

"I am well aware of that, thank you. These are a gift for you, you daft child," she said with quiet laughter. "You'll find that, no matter how many of these balls you attend, your father is likely going to brag about having you with him, and it is, quite frankly, nauseating to think of how many people do not wear gloves." At the confused look on Harry's face, she smirked. "Sweaty hands, child, and with all the people you'll be meeting this evening, you'll find that these will come in handy. Pardon the pun."

Harry grinned and pulled them on. They were a perfect fit, and when he said as much, Beth only laughed again.

"Of course they're perfect for you," she said. "I make sure to know a few things about my student when I insist on lavishing him with gifts."

"Thank you, Beth!" Harry said happily, hugging her in gratitude. She cleared her throat after a moment and he bit back a smirk as he took a step back, bowed his head to her, and kissed the back of her gloved hand. "Thank you," he said again, though this time in a much calmer tone of voice.

"It isn't a secret that you like younger men, Elizabeth, but isn't this one a few too many years on the wrong side of legal for you?" a new, male voice asked as two people walked up.

Beth turned around to look at the newcomer, and she looked rather amused when she saw that it was Lucius Malfoy and his son. "I would tell you to bite your tongue, Lucius, but it seems as though you've already given away my secret," she said.

"I'm sure you've got plenty more hidden away," Lucius said silkily, a smirk coming to his face.

Harry frowned slightly and looked between Beth and Lucius, not sure exactly what was going on between them.

Draco caught his attention before he had time to figure it out, though. "Dress robes look good on you, Harrison," he said with a grin. "I see you've escaped the Potter's hold."

"You two have met before?" Beth asked, looking over at Harry.

He nodded. "In passing at Madame Malkin's," he said before he realized that Lucius was watching him with an almost critical eye. He hesitantly met the silver gaze of the older man, falling silent when he realized that there was a glint of what almost looked to be… amusement in the man's eyes. "Hello, sir," he said quietly. When Lucius quirked an eyebrow at him, he extended a hand toward the man. "I'm Harrison Donahue," he said.

Lucius nodded and took his hand. "Lucius Malfoy. My son tells me that you're James Potter's son?" he asked.

Harry nodded, taking his hand back and briefly glancing up at Beth for reassurance.

She smiled slightly at him before turning around and ordering a drink from the bar.

"Yes, sir," Harry said. "I was left with Muggles until I was ten years old, and then he came to get me and Beth has made sure that I've learned everything I missed out on while I was with the Muggles," he said.

Lucius nodded, looking more than slightly intrigued.

Before either Harry or Lucius could say anything, though, James jogged up to the group. "Kid, what the hell do you think you're doing, talking to the wrong sort?" he asked, pulling Harry a few steps away from Lucius.

"What do you mean, the wrong sort?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowing at his father.

"Beth has clearly been neglectful in her lessons if you don't know why you should stay as far away from Malfoy and his brat as possible," he said coldly.

"Draco's not a brat," Harry said, glaring up at his father. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Draco sneer at James' back before Lucius admonished him with a mild glare. "And Beth has taught me plenty," he said. "Enough that I know that the Malfoy family has been exonerated of any crimes you might have accused them of," he said.

James opened his mouth to say something else, but Harry glared at the man, cutting off whatever he was about to say.

"We were getting along just fine until you butted in, but if you'd like to start a scene and make your prejudices clear to everyone here, I'm more than willing to start yelling," Harry suggested. He smirked up at James, practically daring the man to say something else.

James scowled, but said nothing for a moment. "Fine," he snapped finally. "Do not allow yourself to be tainted by their kind. I will not have you turning Dark on me."

"Mister Potter, if your son's magic is more Dark-oriented, I assure you that it will have absolutely nothing to do with his associating with the Malfoy family," Beth said in an almost sing-song tone of voice. "I would advise against arguing with your son any further, as you're already getting more than a few stares," she said. "It would likely be a good idea for you to find your wife and daughter," she added when James didn't immediately start walking away.

"I'll be fine," Harry said coldly. "I managed ten years without you, James. Neither of us are going to have a good night if you insist on babysitting me," he said, sounding much older than his not-quite eleven years.

James scowled. "Be careful how you address me, kid," he said, though he was eyeing Harry almost warily. "I am your father, and I will not be disrespected so easily."

"Clearly we disagree on that," Harry said.

"I'll find you again in two hours. Do not embarrass me," James snapped.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry purred, a glacial look in his eyes as he watched James' retreat. As soon as the man was out of earshot, Harry looked over at Draco and Lucius. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said, blushing slightly at the look on Lucius' face.

"I'm actually rather impressed," Beth said as she sipped her cocktail. She looked over at Lucius and smirked. "You look like you're plotting something," she said.

He looked over at her, arching an eyebrow when he noticed the neon blue color of her drink. "I thought you were better than martinis," he said, looking more amused than disapproving.

"I cannot help it if you have no creativity when it comes to your choice in drinks," she said. "I'll let the three of you get to know each other better, but Lucius, take care to remember that Harrison is my student, and I will not stand for anyone knowingly putting him in danger," she said.

Harry frowned, glancing between Beth and Lucius.

"Harry, just yell for me if you need me," she said before curtsying to Lucius. When he nodded slightly to her, she smiled to the two of them and walked away.

"Father?" Draco asked.

Lucius seemed to already know what Draco wanted to ask of him, as he nodded. "As long as you do not annoy Harrison or do anything to embarrass the Malfoy name, you are free to introduce Harrison to your friends," he said, glancing over at Harry before looking at his son. "If you see your mother, make sure you let her know that Elizabeth is traipsing around here," he said, in a much quieter voice.

Draco nodded before looking over at Harry. "Come on," he said.

Harry smiled and motioned for Draco to lead the way.

As the boys walked away, Lucius suddenly found himself in the company of another man, and though he was cloaked with an incredibly powerful Glamour, he knew immediately who the man was. "It's a lovely evening tonight, isn't it, my-"

"Finish that sentence and I will not hesitate to remove your tongue, regardless of our company," came the quietly hissed response. "You are well aware of my alias for these… events," he said, clearly expressing his distaste with the general atmosphere in the ballroom.

"My apologies, then, Lord Salvatore," Lucius said, bowing his head to the man. "I was not expecting to see you here this evening."

"Word has reached me that the Potter family has suddenly reacquired their son and my interest was piqued," the man said as he stepped forward half a step.

Lucius frowned slightly. "The boy has not been informed about why the Potters got rid of him in the first place," he said. "He knows enough about our world, but Elizabeth and I have spoken a few times. She believes that the Potters are deliberately keeping the boy in the dark about certain things," he said.

"That may serve to work in my favor," Salvatore mused quietly. "I need to speak with a few other people, but I would appreciate the chance to speak with the boy myself before I leave this evening," he said.

Without looking over at the man, Lucius nodded. "I will do my best, Lord Salvatore," he said.

"Do not risk making a scene with Potter or his wife this evening. If the boy does not want to speak with me this evening, do not force him," he said.

Lucius nodded. "Enjoy your evening, Lord Salvatore," he said before bowing his head to the man and walking away.

…

Harry glanced over his shoulder, curious as to who Lucius was speaking with. "Draco?" he asked. "Who's the man with your father?" he asked.

"Is he the same height as my father, with brown hair and green eyes?" Draco asked, not looking behind himself.

"I can't tell about his eyes, but he's wearing black robes that are trimmed in green," Harry said. "Your father almost looked afraid of him for a moment."

"Oh. Him," Draco said with a half-smile. "That's Lord Salvatore. He's a business partner of my father's, and he's from a very old, very powerful family," he said. "I've only seen him mad once, and my father almost ended up dead because of that," he added before coming to a stop in front of a few other children about their age.

"Draco?" a dark-skinned boy asked, looking over at Harry.

"I've found my newest favorite toy," Draco said, turning a playful grin at Harry.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, taking half a step away from Draco and preparing himself to leave the group.

The dark-skinned boy laughed and draped an arm over Harry's shoulders, stopping his retreat before he could get too far. "You'll have to excuse Draco," he drawled, his foreign accent intriguing Harry. "He's spoiled beyond belief, and most people who don't know him tend to see him only as a pompous little git. He enjoys taking advantage of that, and it's worked in his favor more often than not," he said. "My name is Blaise Zabini," he said with a smirk. "And you are?"

"Harrison Donahue," Harry said. He shifted slightly, not particularly used to the physical contact, but he found that it wasn't overly uncomfortable.

Blaise grinned down at Harry, taking the chance to look him over.

Harry returned the favor, finding the taller boy to be almost… pretty, though there was a definite edge of danger to him as well. His darker skin had him standing out from most of the other wizards in the room, and Harry didn't miss the fact that Blaise seemed much stronger than he looked at first. His eyes were a dark amber color, and his black hair reached his waist. It had been braided tightly and fastened with a gold ribbon. He was wearing dark blue robes, which were trimmed in gold.

When he once again looked up to meet the boy's gaze, he noticed an unidentifiable glint in Blaise's eyes. "Are you alright?" Harry asked hesitantly.

Blaise just continued smirking at Harry, though he did notice that the boy's embrace had tightened a bit.

And then, suddenly, whatever moment they'd had was broken.

Draco pulled Harry out of Blaise's reach, ignoring the boy's growl. "And I'm the git here," he said disbelievingly. "Once you get to know Blaise a little bit better, you'll learn why he's odd. Until then, meet my other two favorites. Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott," he said, pointing to a girl with black hair, brown eyes, and an almost uncanny resemblance to one of Harry's Muggle schoolmates, and then to an almost lanky boy with dark brown hair and black eyes. "The two trolls in the back are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle," he added, motioning at the large boys against the wall, who were currently stuffing their faces with some of the largest cupcakes that Harry had ever seen.

"It's nice to meet all of you," Harry said.

Pansy giggled and looked over at Theodore, who rolled his eyes.

"Don't give this one too much freedom when it comes to flirting with you, otherwise you're likely to end up as her second husband," Theodore said.

"But I'm not even eleven and I don't even like girls," Harry said quietly.

Blaise chuckled, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders and pulling him back into an embrace. "That is good to know, Harrison," he purred. "I'll protect you from Parkinson and her wicked female ways."

"Yes, but who's going to protect him from you?" Pansy asked, reaching out to take hold of Harry's arm, but Blaise's sudden growl had her pulling her hand back as though she'd been burned. "Don't frighten him away before we've had our fun, Blaise," she said.

Blaise said nothing, though he did tighten his hold on Harry.

Pansy huffed at the look on Blaise's face. "Draco, darling, let's go find Madame Zabini and let her know that Blaise is being difficult," she said, taking hold of Draco's hand and practically pulling him away.

Theodore eyed Blaise warily. "You're not going to hurt him, are you?" he asked.

"Of course not," Blaise said defensively, though he noticeably relaxed once Draco and Pansy were out of earshot. "He smells delicious, though."

Harry scowled and twisted to look at Blaise. "Why are you smelling me?" he asked.

Theodore sighed. "You are aware that there are more creatures than humans, I would hope," he said quietly.

Harry nodded. "Vampires and werewolves, right?"

"There are more than just those creatures," Theodore said. "Blaise comes from a family of incubi. He matures faster than humans, and in a few years, he's going to be able to identify and claim his mate and then the two of them will sustain themselves pretty much entirely on sex," he said. "Until he reaches that maturity, though, he has a tendency to act rather possessive of anyone who smells good to him."

Harry nodded slightly. "Is that how you find your mate, with the way they smell?" he asked.

Blaise hummed quietly before nodding.

"Once he gets used to you, he'll lighten up, but he's probably going to be this possessive for the first few times you're around him," he said.

"How do you know so much about this?"

"After the first time this happened, Blaise made sure that at least one of us knew about what he was, as long as we didn't broadcast the news," he said. "And besides, I was in your position when Blaise and I met, when we were both seven years old," he said. "He still gets possessive of me, from time to time," he added with a sideways glance at the incubus.

Harry glanced over his shoulder at Blaise, more than slightly surprised when he noticed that the boy's eyes had lightened to a gold color when he met Theodore's gaze. "Am I in danger?" he asked hesitantly, not wanting to somehow offend or provoke the darker boy.

Blaise shook his head slightly. "Just don't make any sudden moves, please," he said quietly before dropping his head to rest his forehead in the crook of Harry's neck. "I'm sorry about this," he said quietly in a voice that only Harry could hear.

"It's alright," Harry replied, just as quietly. "As long as you don't hurt me, I'll be fine," he said. "And I'll try not to make any sudden movements."

Blaise nodded slightly, not lifting his head up.

Theodore smiled slightly at Harry when he shifted positions again. "Once he's passed the possessive stage with you, he's one of the best friends that you'll find," he said.

Harry nodded again and allowed himself to relax into the rather comfortable embrace of the incubus.

…

About an hour later, Harry found that he was more comfortable with Draco and his friends than he had been in his eight months with the Potters. If he thought about it, he was even more comfortable here than he had been when he lived with his Muggle relatives, no matter how much he cared for them. He and Blaise had retreated to the back of their group, and they were both sitting in a large red armchair. Blaise was the one paying more attention to the conversations taking places, as Harry kept halfway drifting off in the embrace that Blaise had refused to release him from.

Shouting in the main part of the hall caught their attention, immediately jerking Harry awake, and most of the occupants throughout the hall fell silent to see what was happening. Harry sat up a bit, watching the argument taking place.

"Oh, good," Draco said, sitting up a bit in his chair. He smirked when he noticed the confused look on Harry's face. "These things are always more interesting when someone gets drunk and starts an argument," he said.

"Oh," Harry said, looking back over at the main part of the hall. When he noticed that James was part of the argument, he tensed. That action had Blaise tightening his hold on Harry, growling quietly. Harry hoped the sound was meant to be reassuring, but it still sent shivers down his spine.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Theodore said, sending a warning look in Blaise's direction before looking over at Harry. "If he gets too angry and he decides that he needs to protect you from something or someone, he's going to be uncontrollable until he decides that the threat is taken care of," he said. "And depending on how much he likes you, it's likely that it could end with dead bodies," he added, making sure that Harry understood him completely before he turned most of his attention back to the center of the ballroom and the argument taking place.

Harry hesitated for a moment before nodding. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before looking over at Blaise.

"Are you alright?" Blaise asked in a quiet, almost dangerous voice.

"Yes," Harry said. "Calm down, please. There's no reason for you to get upset." When Blaise eyed him suspiciously, he offered the boy a small smile. "I promise, everything is fine," he said.

Blaise nodded hesitantly before relaxing a bit, and both he and Harry turned their attention back to the argument.

James was still in the middle of the argument, and he was backed up by a small herd of redheads. He and the redheads were yelling at a blonde woman and two of her friends, and Harry thought he saw Beth flittering around the edge of the argument, looking far too calm for Harry to be comfortable.

"Who are the redheads?" Harry asked.

"That would be some of the Weasley family," Draco said, sounding irritated at the mere mention of the family name.

"Only some?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"They've bred the common sense out of their line, and none of them have done anything useful for our world," he said. "At least, that's what my father tells me," he said with a shrug. He leaned forward a bit. "The twins are the only ones that are at least mildly entertaining, but I don't see them," he added.

Harry nodded slightly. He heard someone walking up to them and he looked around to see Beth walking up to them. "Is everything alright?" he asked once she was in earshot.

"I need to take you out of the ballroom. Now," she said, a tense tone in her voice that had Harry immediately on edge.

He stiffened a bit and Blaise growled again. "Blaise," Harry said, shifting slightly so he could look Blaise in the eye. "Let me go," he said gently.

When the darker boy showed no sign of releasing him, Theodore reached over and rested a hand on Blaise's arm. "Blaise," he said in a calm yet dominant tone. Blaise immediately looked over at Theodore with bright gold eyes. "Harrison is with his tutor, and she will make sure that he is kept safe," Theodore said, making sure that Blaise understood what he was saying. "Let go of Harrison," he said.

Blaise did as told, slowly releasing his hold on Harry.

Once Harry was on his feet and completely out of Blaise's hold, he looked over at Theodore. "Thank you," he said.

Theodore nodded back to Harry even as he allowed Blaise to pull him into a tight embrace.

"Are you going to be alright?" Harry asked.

Theodore smiled and leaned back in Blaise's embrace. "I'm fine," he said. "I'll see you at the next Ministry event that our parents drag us to, or I'll see you at Hogwarts," he said.

Harry nodded. "I look forward to it," he said.

Beth looked over at Draco. "You should find your father," she said quietly.

"What's going on?" Draco asked.

"Potter has decided to accuse Narcissa and some of her friends of being allied with the Dark Lord, as well as conspiring to destroy the Ministry from the inside out," Beth said. "She's not reacting well to those accusations," she said.

Draco was immediately on his feet. "Thank you, Beth," he said. "I'll see you later, Harry," he said before slipping into the crowd of people, looking for his father.

"Come along, Harry," Beth said. She took hold of Harry's hand and started to pull him from the room.

"What's going on?" Harry asked. "Why are we leaving?"

"Your father's beyond drunk," Beth said. "And he's set to further ruin the Potter reputation. Since everyone is aware that you're back with the family, but you've still got a different last name, your reputation is relatively untainted, and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible."

"I don't understand," Harry said as he and Beth practically jogged into the garden outside the ballroom.

Once they were by a bench, Beth turned to look at him. "There are a number of things in this country that have been removed from your father's reach because of his repeated behavior that's served to tarnish the Potter reputation," she said. "I do not want you to have any avenues shut down for you, so to speak. Part of ensuring the preservation of your reputation involves making sure that it's clear that you don't support James' actions, which is why we left the room as soon as you recognized James as part of the argument," she said.

"So how long do you want me to wait out here?" Harry asked.

"Just a few minutes," she said. "I'm going to find Lily and let her know that I'm taking you back to Potter Manor early."

Harry nodded and took a seat on the bench. "I'll wait here," he said.

Beth smiled at him. "Thank you, Harry," she said before heading back inside.

Harry looked around the garden, taking in the sight of various plants and trees under the night sky.

"It is rather beautiful out here, isn't it? Even moreso at night, I think," a stranger's voice said as Harry looked around the garden.

He jumped rather impressively and turned around to look at the man who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. He looked the man over and smiled slightly when he recognized the man. "You're Lord Salvatore, right?" he asked. "I saw you speaking with Draco's father earlier," he added by way of explanation.

The man bowed slightly, making a vague flourishing motion with his hands as he did so. "It is a pleasure, little Donahue," he said.

"You know who I am?" Harry asked, standing up as the man walked around the bench to stand in front of him.

"You caught my attention, little Donahue," he said, absently running his fingers along Harry's jaw. "And I make sure to be informed about the people who catch my attention. It happens so rarely now."

"Then, if you already know my name, what do you want from me?"

"This is merely an introduction, little Donahue," he said. "A chance for me to tell you how much I look forward to having an extended conversation with you," he said.

"Really?" Harry asked.

Salvatore smirked, and an odd look came into his eyes. He took hold of Harry's hand and slowly pulled his glove down, pressing a kiss to the palm of Harry's hand. "More than you can imagine, little Donahue," he said. "Though I would request you not spend the entirety of a formal evening wrapped in the embrace of a young incubus again."

"Why?" Harry asked, genuinely curious. He hesitated a moment before taking his hand back and replacing his glove.

"Your scent tells that you already marked by fate, and your destined mate would not appreciate seeing another male draped around you," Salvatore said. "Particularly an incubus."

"How can you tell that? About my scent, I mean?" he asked.

Salvatore smirked again, leaning a bit closer to Harry. "As I said, I make sure that I am well informed about the people that catch my attention," he said. "And as for your mate's jealousy, that is a simple issue."

"How?"

Salvatore chuckled quietly, and he looked like he was about to answer Harry's question when he glanced over the boy's head and saw someone approaching.

Beth hesitated for a brief moment when she noticed who Harry was talking to. "Lord Salvatore," she said as she walked up to the two of them. "This is an unexpected pleasure."

Salvatore nodded once to Beth. "Take good care of the little Donahue," he said.

Beth nodded. "Of course, sir," she said, curtsying slightly to him.

Then, just as quickly as he'd appeared, Salvatore disappeared back into the ballroom.

"Are you alright?" Beth asked. "He didn't threaten you or hurt you, did he?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "He said he wants to have an extended conversation with me," he said. "Why?"

"He can be dangerous, and not just when he's angry," Beth said. Harry frowned, and she offered him a small smile. "I'm not telling you to avoid the man, but just make sure you're careful when you're alone with him. There are enough rumors about him, and there is no need for you to test the validity of those rumors," she said.

"Alright," Harry said. "Are we Apparating back to Potter Manor?" he asked.

She nodded. "Come here and hold still," she said.

He did as told, and ten seconds later, the two of them had relocated into the sitting room where Beth conducted their lessons.

"I realize that it's not particularly late, being that it's only ten o'clock, but I'm going to bed," she said. "Unless you'd like to stay here and talk about a few things?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "There's nothing that can't wait till morning," he said before yawning. "I didn't think I was going to be this tired when we got back here, though," he said.

Beth laughed quietly. "You'll find that the first few Ministry events will wear you out quickly, but you'll build up a tolerance for them," she said. "And next time, you won't be able to leave until you give me at least one dance."

He scowled up at her but nodded. "Good night, Beth," he said.

She smiled and pressed a spontaneous kiss to the top of Harry's head. "Sleep well, Harrison," she said as the two of them left the sitting room.

...

Kado was sitting on the bed when Harry walked into the room and immediately started getting undressed. "_Did you have a good evening at the Ministry_?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "_I made some new friends,_" he said.

"_Oh_?" Kado asked, perking up a bit.

"_James doesn't like them, and one of them is an incubus_," Harry said, sitting on the bed next to Kado.

"_The first is good news,_" Kado hissed. "_Though the second worries me_."

"_He's my age, and he seems nice enough_," Harry said.

Kado nodded, moving to drape himself around Harry's shoulders. "_Be careful of nonhuman creatures that offer their friendship and show no ulterior motives_. _Demons are not known to befriend humans on a whim, unless you've neglected to tell me that you've got some Fae blood in you_," he said.

Harry shrugged. "_I'm going to talk to Beth tomorrow about why they left me with Auntie and Uncle, and this time I'm not going to let anyone interrupt the conversation_," he said. At Kado's inquisitive hiss, he frowned. "_James and Lily have done a decent job at running interference and making sure that I haven't heard that story yet, but if they're still that insistent on me not hearing it, it's got to be something serious_," he said.

"_Good child_," Kado said. "_And then you need to make sure that you're prepared for your first year of Hogwarts. You've come far enough in such a short time that I don't want you to fall behind because you're allowing yourself to get overly confident_," he said.

Harry nodded before yawning again. "_Can we talk more about this tomorrow, Kado_?" he asked. "_I'm tired_."

Kado hissed out a serpentine sort of laughter before moving off of Harry's shoulders, settling instead on the pillow with a permanent warming charm on it. "_Sleep well, Harrison_," he said quietly.

Harry nodded again, laying down and pulling a few blankets over himself. "Lights," he said quietly, and the lights in the room immediately turned off. He was asleep within minutes


	11. Chapter 10

Update! Hooray! (And now to focus on my Uni work, which has been suffering from the same writer's block that this chapter has.)

Oh yeah, I'm just going to apologize for the ending right now. It seems a bit off to me, but I wasn't entirely sure how to end it without dipping into the events of the next chapter (which will hopefully be coming out before the end of this month, but with all the school shit that's weighing me down, that might not happen).

...

And for all the people who are asking me if this is a slash story because they won't read slash: This will eventually be slash. Way, way down the road, though, what with Harry still being 10 years old and all. (And once the slash does come into play, I really don't plan on it being the dominant factor in this story.) Either way, now that that's been settled - and I didn't bore y'all for reading this - enjoy the chapter! (Feedback is always loved, beeteedubs.)

Chapter 10

"Harry?" Beth asked, knocking on Harry's door as she opened it and took a few steps into the room. "Harry, are you awake?" she asked, looking around the boy's bedroom. He wasn't on the bed, and both animals on the bathroom and closet doors were camouflaged in the foliage, so he wasn't in either of those rooms.

The bedroom itself had changed quite a bit since Harry's arrival, and Beth found the changes more than slightly reassuring. Harry's parents, however, had already confronted her, wanting to know why the walls had been changed from a light red color to a dark green, and why the paintings of the lion and the lion cubs had been changed to a painting of a snake that looked remarkably like Kado and a painting of a green tree python. The most noticeable change, however, came was found in the loft. Where there had once been an enormous entertainment center, Harry had added a room that worked much like a walk-in closet that required his blood for entry. It was a library, and he'd started building his collection with some of Beth's books, which she'd given him because she no longer read them. After some convincing, Lily had allowed Harry free reign when it came to using his personal trust fund to order whatever books he found interesting. The last time Harry had let her see the library, he'd collected well over two thousand books, and he claimed to have read almost a third of them already. The door to the library, however, was an enormous painting of a basilisk, and Beth wasn't at all sure where he'd found the painting, but it was quite the masterpiece. She'd done her best to help him make sure that the painting was indestructible, and so far, James hadn't tried to mess with it.

"Harry?" Beth called again. "Are you in here?" she asked.

"I'm up in the loft!" Harry yelled, his head popping over the back of the couch. He leaned over the banister a bit, grinning down at Beth. "You can come up if you want. I'm watching Kado hunt a few hamsters, though, and I don't know if you want to see that," he said.

Beth made a face and took a half-step back from the staircase. "I'll stay down here, then," she said. "Do try not to fall over the ledge," she said worriedly when Harry momentarily lost his grip and slipped forward slightly.

He laughed. "I'll be okay," he said before disappearing back to the other side of the couch. He reappeared seconds later, making his way down the stairs and stopping a few feet in front of Beth. "Is everything alright?" he asked. "You said that we wouldn't have any lessons on Sundays," he said.

She shook her head, smiling slightly. "There's nothing that you need to be worried about this morning. I just thought you'd like to have this," she said, pulling a letter out of her pocket and handing it to Harry.

"A letter?" Harry asked, looking it over.

"It came to my home this morning, but it's addressed to you. My house elf brought it to me with the rest of my mail a few minutes ago," she said. "I believe it's from the younger Malfoy," she said in a quieter tone of voice. "Make sure your father doesn't see it. He didn't react well to you leaving abruptly at the Ministry ball last night, and I don't want you to get into any trouble with him."

Harry nodded and opened the letter. Before he started reading it, though, he looked up at Beth. "Thank you," he said.

She smiled at him. "I'm going back to my house for the rest of the day to take care of a few family issues that need to be settled rather urgently," she said. "I'll be back tomorrow morning, unless you need me before then," she said. "Do you remember the name of my House Elf?"

"Sheena, right?" Harry asked.

Beth nodded. "If you need me back before tomorrow morning, just call for Sheena and she'll give me any message that you need to share with me," she said. "And I know that you've got some questions for me that I haven't been given the chance to answer properly, thanks to your father's interference during our sessions," she said. "So tomorrow morning, I'm going to take you on a field trip of sorts, and once we're at our destination, I'll have you practice a bit with your wandless magic and I'll answer whatever questions you want to ask."

Harry nodded, grinning. "Thank you, Beth. I'll see you tomorrow morning," he said before Beth nodded again and left the room.

As soon as she'd left the room and had shut the door behind herself, Kado came down the stairs and situated himself around Harry's shoulders. "_What does your letter say_?" he asked.

"_I haven't read it yet_," Harry said. "_Did you catch the hamsters?_" he asked. Kado nodded slightly and Harry noticed three lumps in Kado's body. "_Are you tired_?" he asked. Kado nodded again. Harry smiled slightly and headed back up to the loft, settling the snake in a patch of sunlight on the couch. He watched Kado move around a bit before seeming to fall asleep immediately, and only after Kado had stopped making tired half-comments did he start reading the letter.

It was, as Beth thought, from Draco, and Harry found himself quite impressed with the neatness of Draco's handwriting.

…

Dear Harrison,

I wanted to thank you for coming to the ball last night, and for defending my father and me when your father decided to try and disparage us and our family name. And when you left during your father's drunk ranting, you showed another level of support for my family that I hadn't expected. Not only was that brilliant of you, but a number of people watched you leave, and there are already rumors starting about a divide in the Potter family. It may not exactly be the best thing for you at the moment, but I find it bloody amazing!

My father asked if I would make it clear that he is grateful for your actions last night, and he said that he's looking forward to talking at length with you about your childhood with the Muggles, whenever you're comfortable enough to be more open with him. He doesn't approve of the Muggles raising you, and neither do I, really, but you seemed to have turned out pretty well in spite of your upbringing. Muggles are a particularly dirty species, to my mind, and even though we've just met, I don't like the thought of you being away from other wizards. My father has learned that you cared for these Muggles, and he'd like to discuss how you seem to know more about Wizarding customs than your father, and he's been in our world his whole life.

Understand that I don't want to offend you. I just don't know how you were able to survive so long without being able to be surrounded like magic and other Wizards.

After you left the ball last night, your father slapped my mother about some perceived insult, and my mother is planning on leveling charges against him. There's nothing that you can do to change that - and I hope you understand why my mother is taking that course of action, as I don't want to lose you as a friend. We've not caused nearly enough trouble together yet.

Speaking of trouble, I got my Hogwarts letter this morning, and my father is taking me to Diagon Alley this afternoon so that I can get everything now. (You'll find that most Wizard families will wait to get their books, but my father has always believed that going early will only work out in our favor. After all, who better to get the new books than me?)

I have a feeling that your mother or father are going to insist on taking you to the Alley themselves, but if you're coming today and you'd like a tour from the most amazing friend you're ever going to have, I'll be there after noon with my father. We could go to Fortescue's together, maybe, and if we're lucky, Father will take us down Knockturn Alley and tell us some of the secrets that we shouldn't know yet.

Even if you can't make it to Diagon Alley today, I'll see you at the next Ministry event, or I'll see you on the train to Hogwarts. You and I are going to rule that school together, and don't you forget that!

Oh yes, my father also told me that Lord Salvatore expressed an interest in speaking with you again. I didn't see the two of you speaking with each other at the ball, but my father has told me stories about Lord Salvatore. He told me once that the Lord is the one of the most powerful wizards of our time, but he also has a number of secrets that make him incredibly dangerous. I find myself almost jealous of you. To have the attention of such a powerful man, especially before you've had any official schooling, is a good omen. If you keep his attention, there is the chance that he might offer to mentor you in some of the things that are not taught at Hogwarts.

You should be careful around him, though. My father tells me that he's got a temper, and that he's killed men before. He also told me that he's not a human, but some kind of Fae. It might be beneficial for you to learn about the Fae, and if you'd like, my father's library is incredible. I could ask him if he has any spare books about the Fae, if you'd like to read them.

Regardless, I hope to see you in Diagon Alley this afternoon.

Sincerely,

Draco Malfoy

PS. - Blaise heard from Theodore that I was going to write a letter to you, and he wanted to tell me that if you're going to play hard to get, then it's only going to be more interesting for him, even if someone more powerful than he is starts to court you. He didn't want Theodore to tell me, but Blaise is afraid of Lord Salvatore, and I heard my parents talking about how Lord Salvatore is intrigued by you, especially after you left the ball early last night.

…

Harry grinned as he looked over the letter again. He had more than a sneaking suspicion that the younger Malfoy wanted something from him, and when they had spoken about the more prominent families in Britain, Beth had made it a specific point to tell him that the Malfoys didn't usually reach out to people, but when they did, their attention always came with a price. Even still, he wanted the boy's friendship - as well as that of Theodore, Pansy and Blaise.

"_Good news, then_?" Kado asked.

Harry nodded. "_I think Draco invited me to have lunch with him and his father,_" he said.

"_You want to be friends with the boy, then_?" Kado asked.

Harry nodded again, looking back down at the letter. "_Yes_," he said, though he sounded almost unsure of himself.

"_You want something else from the Malfoy family?_" Kado asked. "_Is that wise_?"

"_What do you mean_?" Harry asked.

Kado looked up at him, chuckling a bit. "_If you're not sure, then perhaps I have been the one paying more attention in your lessons than you have, little boy_," he said. "_'A Malfoy is never altruistic, and one must always take their kindness with a degree of skepticism. That family usually has an ulterior motive behind any decision they make, particularly the very publicized decisions,'_" Kado said, repeating what Beth had told Harry almost verbatim.

"_And what, exactly, would you suggest I do_?" Harry asked. "_I still want to be friends with Draco_."

"_I'm not telling you to ignore the boy, or to spurn his advances at friendship. I just want you to be careful around the boy, and his father. Try not to accept anything without knowing exactly what the Malfoys want in return_," he said before abruptly falling silent and moving swiftly out of sight.

Harry frowned, staring at the edge of the couch, where he could barely make out the sight of Kado's tail. "Kado?" he asked, just before his bedroom door opened loudly.

"Harry?" James asked as he walked into the room.

"I'm in the loft," Harry said, speaking just loud enough for the man to hear him. "I thought I locked the door," he muttered, more to himself than to James, but the older man seemed to hear him anyway.

"I'm the Potter Lord, kid," James said, making a face at the basilisk painting but otherwise ignoring it. "There are very few rooms in this Manor that I cannot get into just because they're locked," he said. "You just got your Hogwarts letter, and I thought you'd like to see Diagon Alley for the first-" He fell silent as soon as he saw what Harry was holding. "What the hell is that?" he asked, going suddenly and almost completely passive.

Harry looked up at him, not quite sure what to make of his oddly calm behavior. "It's a letter," he said, frowning up at the man.

"I realize it's a letter, boy," James snapped. "Why do you have a letter from the Malfoy brat?" he asked.

"Draco's not a brat," Harry said, his eyes narrowing at his father. "And we're friends, I think."

"You think?"

Harry scowled. "Considering that we haven't spent that much time together, I don't know where I stand with him," he said.

"Let me give you some advice, then, kid. In the world according to the Malfoys, the only people who matter are He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the Malfoy family. Everyone else is disposable, and used as pawns whenever one of the Malfoys need something from them," he said coldly, holding out his hand. "Give me the letter and I'll get rid of it for you. I won't have you dirtying yourself by continuing to associate with a Dark family like that."

"No," Harry said quickly, shoving the letter into his pocket and ignoring the irritated look on James' face.

Without warning, Kado wrapped his tail around Harry's left ankle, and it took quite a bit for Harry to refrain from looking down and drawing attention to the snake. James still hated Kado, and had resorted to making a number of threats about how he'd cook Kado if he ever saw the snake loose again. "_I don't like him any more than you do, Harrison_," he hissed quietly. "_He'll be more willing to grant you more freedom if you at least pretend to cooperate with him. I don't want to see you hurt or locked away from the Malfoy family before I have the chance to meet this Draco child_," he said before retreating further under the couch.

"No," Harry said in a quieter, calmer voice. "I'll get rid of it myself," he said quietly, not looking away from James' eyes.

"Excellent. You're learning. Good boy," James said, smiling loosely at Harry. "Now, I'll give you some time to clean up and change into some fresh clothes, and then we'll go to Diagon Alley and get your supplies, and an Owl, and maybe a broom," he said.

"Really?" Harry asked, unable to keep the disbelieving tone out of his voice.

James nodded. "Yeah!" he said, sounding more like an excited child than a grown man. "You're going to love it! And I can teach you to fly once we get back this afternoon!"

Harry nodded slightly, not sure what to think of the man's sudden attitude change. "I can meet you down in the sitting room in half an hour, after I take a bath and change clothes," he said.

"Good, good," he said before leaving the room.

Harry watched the door for a long moment, both confused and more than slightly afraid of James' seemingly unstable mental health. "_Kado_?" he asked in a whisper.

"_All I can offer you is my support_," the snake said as he moved out from under the couch. "_Given the reception I've received around this Manor, and your father's insistence on the importance of you making a good impression to his friends and allies, it might be safer for the both of us if I stay here for now_," he said.

"_Are you sure_?" Harry asked.

"_You'll be fine_," the python said as Harry picked him up and headed down the stairs, into the bathroom. "_And if you run into any problems, you seem like you're well on your way to making a few powerful allies. Besides, didn't the Malfoy boy invite you to lunch?_" he asked. "_That at any rate should keep your father on decent behavior, and being seen with the Malfoys might help a bit_," he added.

…

About half an hour later, at a quarter past noon, Harry walked into the sitting room, tugging absently on his shirt. It was an old one, one that Dudley and Petunia had found in a vintage shop and had given to him for his eighth birthday. A Pink Floyd shirt, from their Dark Side of the Moon tour. Beth had helped him apply a few charms to make sure that the shirt didn't rip or tear or stain, and it would adjust to fit him as he grew up. He'd paired the shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans that had holes worn in the jeans, and a pair of green Chuck Taylors.

"You look decent, kid," James said, looking him over. "A bit Muggle for my taste, but I went through a phase like that too," he said. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Harry hesitated a moment, not sure what to say. "What's going to happen when we get there?" he asked.

"Ah. Well, I was thinking that I'd let you do what I let Rose do when she was your age and we went to Diagon for her Hogwarts supplies. I'll bring us into the Alley and show you where the bookshop is. You can wander around the Alley for about an hour, and I'll get you most of the things on your list. We can meet back at the bookshop, and from there, I'll take you to get your wand," he said.

"What if I want to get any new books?" Harry asked.

"You have a private Potter trust fund that has enough funding for you to buy the entire Alley thrice over, if you're so inclined. Though I'd suggest you spend your time buying prank supplies. I don't know if I've told you, but I am quite the accomplished trickster," James said with a cocky grin. He pulled out a small plastic card that closely resembled a Muggle credit card, though there was no black metal strip on the back, and instead of a logo, there was a shrunken picture of the Potter crest on the front. "Rose got hers on her first trip into the Alley, so it's only fair that you get the same treatment," he said.

"Where is she, anyway?" Harry asked as he took the card and stuck it in his front pocket.

"Rose and Lily?" James asked, and Harry nodded. "They're spending the day with the Weasley family. I had been hoping to introduce you to them last night, but you pulled your little stunt and ducked out early," he said before shaking his head. "We'll talk about that some other time," he said to himself. "Are you ready to go?"

Harry nodded hesitantly. "I suppose," he said.

"Good," James said. He walked over to Harry and grasped the boy's shoulder in a firm, almost cruel grip. "Hold still," he said.

Harry looked up at him, frowning slightly.

"Good," James said again, and the two of them disappeared with a loud 'crack'.

They reappeared seconds later in the middle of a bustling alley, in front of a bookstore named Flourish and Blotts.

"I'll meet you back here in an hour," James said.

Harry nodded and took a step back, watching passively as James disappeared into the crowd. Once he realized that he was on his own, he looked around, wondering where he should go first. He looked around the alley, hoping that something would strike his interest, when he noticed a street vendor selling jewelry. One item in particular caught his attention and he wandered over to the man's cart.

"I don't serve orphans, boy," the vendor said, immediately dismissing Harry.

"How very fortunate for you that he's not an orphan," a smooth voice said from behind Harry.

Harry looked over his shoulder and found a small smile on his face when he recognized Lord Salvatore. "Hello, sir," he said quietly. "It's nice to see you again."

"And you as well, little Donahue," Salvatore said, nodding to Harry. "What caught your attention?" he asked.

Harry was silent for a brief moment before pointing to a black armband that looked like it was made of dragonhide. Embossed on the left side of the armband was a small copper-colored feather.

"An excellent choice," Salvatore said quietly, leaning a bit closer to Harry and resting a hand on his back, between his shoulder blades. "You have good taste. Not many people appreciate the value of gryphon feathers anymore," he said before looking over at the vendor. "Wrap it up."

"Umm," Harry started, though when Salvatore looked back down at him, he abruptly fell silent. When the man arched an eyebrow, clearly expecting Harry to continue speaking. Harry quickly regathered his confidence. "I don't want to be rude, sir," he said quietly. "And I don't want to offend you or anything, but I can afford it on my own, and I don't want to be indebted to anyone," he said, watching the man for any signs that he was angry.

He seemed almost… amused. "That is a rather commendable perspective, particularly for someone as young as yourself," he said. "It was not my intention to imply anything about your finances," he said.

Harry nodded and pulled the card out of his pocket, handing it to the vendor as the man finished wrapping the armband.

"Now, you do look a bit young to be here alone," Salvatore said as he watched the exchange between Harry and the vendor.

"James brought me here, and he decided to let me explore Diagon Alley while he buys most of my school supplies," Harry said as he took back his card and the shrunken box with the armband and put them both in his pocket. "And I got a letter from Draco and I wanted to see if I could find him before James came back to find me," he said, walking down the Alley with the older man.

"Then I suppose it's fortunate that I came across you," he said. At the confused look on Harry's face, he smirked slightly. "I have business to discuss with Lucius this afternoon, and he's expecting me," he said. "And I have little doubt that Lucius will have kept Draco nearby," he added.

"And you don't mind me tagging along behind you, sir?" Harry asked.

Salvatore merely chuckled quietly. "Had I minded, little Donahue, I wouldn't have allowed it," he said. "Do try not to get lost in the crowd," he said, quickening his pace a bit. He glanced down when he felt the boy take hold of his hand. He stared at their hands with slightly widened eyes, but he made no move to dislodge his hand from the boy's.

"Sorry," Harry said with a sheepish grin. "This way I won't get lost," he said before pausing briefly. "But I'll let go if you want."

Salvatore shook his head. "It will ensure I do not lose you. Keep up," he said.

Harry nodded and fell silent, following the Lord through the crowd of people into a small restaurant at the end of the Alley, near an Apothecary. Once they were both inside, he let go of Salvatore's hand but continued to follow him to the back of the restaurant, where Lucius and Draco were already sitting in a private booth.

Draco's face lit up as soon as he saw Harry. "You came!" he said. "Sit up here, next to me," he said, scooting over on his side of the booth to make room for Harry.

Harry nodded and grinned. "I got your letter," he said.

Draco smirked. "I knew Beth wasn't useless," he said before looking up at his father.

Lucius had gotten out of the booth, and both he and Salvatore were watching Draco and Harry's interaction with an almost amused look on their faces. "Order whatever food you'd like, boys. I'll be back in a few minutes," he said. "And Draco, you know what I order from this restaurant. If Lord Salvatore and I have not concluded our business before the waitress arrives, order for me," he said.

Draco nodded. "Yes, sir," he said.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said.

Lucius nodded and then followed Salvatore out of the restaurant, leaving the two boys to look through the menu and start talking rather animatedly with each other.

"I didn't think your father would let you come!" Draco said after both he and Harry had chosen what they'd like to eat.

"He decided to give me a few hours to explore the Alley on my own while he went out and bought my supplies for me," Harry said. "Is your mother alright?"

Draco nodded. "She's not hurt, but I've never seen her mad enough to file charges," he said.

"That doesn't seem too bad, though," Harry said. "What will he get? 6 months in Azkaban or something?" he asked.

"Your parents are well liked in our community, and they've got the Hogwarts Headmaster on their side, so it's more likely that James will just walk away with probation or a really big fine, which just goes to fund the war effort against the Dark Lord," Draco said in a more hushed voice.

Harry was silent for a moment. "Beth told me about the war about a month ago," he said quietly. "She said that the Potters funded a lot of the more publicized efforts to get rid of the Dark Lord," he said.

Draco looked around, frowning slightly. "We shouldn't talk about this here," he said. "My father will get angry if anyone overhears us talking about politics," he said. "He thinks it corrupts the minds of children and he doesn't want me to get in over my head when it comes to dealing with some of the more pressing issues of our world."

"Alright," Harry said, falling silent for a moment. "How come you don't like the Weasleys?" he asked.

Draco smirked coldly, looking almost eerily like his father with the expression. "Because they insult the rank of Pureblood," he said. "Arthur Weasley is obsessed with all things Muggle and none of them care enough about their heritage to honor it properly. They don't even have a Manor anymore. And apart from that, they're about as useful as the rabbits they seem to like to imitate. Always having more children when they can't even feed the ones they have," he said, his face tinged red with anger as he spoke.

"Oh," Harry said quietly, though he was grinning slightly.

"There is more to it, of course," Lucius said smoothly as he returned to the booth and took a seat across from the boys. "But it goes back a number of generations, and a number of the offenses committed are not particularly appropriate to discuss over food," he said. "Lord Salvatore asked that I pass on his good wishes to you, Harrison, as well as his hopes that you two will be able to have more time to speak together in the future."

Harry nodded, blushing slightly when Lord Salvatore was mentioned.

"If you would like to discuss the finer points of our family's dislike of the Weasleys, or anything else that you do not feel entirely safe discussing in public, you are more than welcome to visit our Manor, where we can all speak more freely about certain issues," Lucius offered.

Harry nodded again, more than slightly intrigued by the offer. "I'll have to ask one of my parents first," he said.

Lucius nodded once. "Of course," he said with a small smile.

A few seconds later, a young woman with brown hair walked up to the booth. She was wearing a light blue sundress and carried a small notebook. "Have you decided what you'd like to eat?" she asked, sounding almost bored.

Lucius nodded. "I'll have the Lobster Osso Buczco with a glass of the 1978 Montrachet," he said.

"I'll have the Asian Spiced Veal Shanks," Draco said. "And a glass of iced tea."

The waitress looked over at Harry. "And you?" she asked.

"Could I have the cherry-glazed venison cutlets, please?" he asked. "And a glass of Sprite?"

She nodded, still looking incredibly bored. "I'll put your orders in right away," she said. "It shouldn't take too long," she muttered before picking up the menus and walking away.


	12. Chapter 11

So, instead of writing an 8 page paper due in 2 days, I decided to write another chapter. Par-tay! Anyway, Harry gets kind of badass in this chapter and the people who still like James in this story will probably be disappointed. I'm actually going to try and get started on my homework instead of procrastinating.

Enjoy, and, as always, feedback is much appreciated! Cheers!

Chapter 11

The three of them had only made it about halfway through the lunch before a large black dog ran up to the table and hopped into the booth next to Harry. The dog crawled all over Harry, licking the boy's face and knocking his plate over. Harry panicked momentarily before he collected himself and shoved the dog off the booth. When it tried to get back onto the seat next to him, he put a hand on the dog's head and sent a mild spark to the dog's nose. It whined and ran to the other side of the restaurant.

Lucius looked over at Harry, an eyebrow arched almost curiously. "Well handled, Harrison," he said as he made a slight motion with his hand and the dishes on the table righted themselves and the spilled drinks and food were banished.

Draco looked over at him. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "I'm fine," he said, and Draco smirked.

"You're not afraid of dogs, are you?" he asked.

"Not the ones that I've never seen before," Harry said. "My Muggle Aunt Marge had bulldogs, and Eli had a Rottweiler, and I liked them," he said.

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Lucius frowned slightly, holding up his hand when he noticed two people and the dog coming over to their booth.

James stopped in front of their table, flanked by a tired-looking man, who had a tight hold on the scruff of the black dog's neck. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked, glaring at Lucius.

"My son found your son traipsing around the Alley and decided to invite him to lunch," Lucius said coolly. "I was unaware that it would be such a problem to feed your son," he said, and James' face adopted an incredulous expression.

"You are well aware that I don't want your kind anywhere near my son," James snapped. He motioned for Harry to stand up. "Come on, kid. Clearly I was mistaken to think that you could be trusted to explore the alley on your own," he said.

"Actually, I was going to speak with Draco and Lucius to see if there was any way they would drop the charges against you," Harry said, making no move to leave the table. "And I'm not going anywhere near that mutt," he said, pointing at the dog.

"He's not dangerous," the tired-looking man said quietly as he looked at Harry, a mildly curious expression on his face. "He just gets overexcited sometimes."

Harry scowled. "Then take it outside of the restaurant and keep it away from me," he said.

James scowled, but when Harry turned a warning look on him, he scoffed. "Do what you can, kid, but don't stay with them any longer than you absolutely have to. When you're done here, we're going to the Weasleys for dinner tonight, so make sure you're on your best behavior," he said.

Harry stayed silent.

James seemed to take that as his agreement, because he nodded and turned to the man beside him. "Let's go, Remus. We've got better company to keep than this," he said, resting a hand on the man's shoulder.

Remus nodded slightly, finally looking away from Harry. He turned his gaze to Lucius. "I'm sorry for the disruption," he said.

Lucius just arched an eyebrow and said nothing.

James made a frustrated noise and pulled Remus out of the shop.

"Are you alright?" Lucius asked, looking over at Harry.

He nodded. "I'm really sorry about him, and I know that you're not going to consider dropping the charges on James," he said. "I don't think he's all there," he added quietly.

Lucius' lips thinned and he was silent for a moment.

Harry flushed slightly and looked down at his now-empty plate. "I should probably go," he said, suddenly losing his confidence with Lucius' silence. He looked over at Draco and offered him a small smile. "I'll see you at Hogwarts," he said before getting off the booth and quickly making his way out of the restaurant.

Remus was waiting for him outside of the restaurant, still holding onto the dog's collar, which he hadn't noticed before. "Your father means the best for you, you know," he said gently.

"Excuse me for dismissing the opinion of a man I've never met before," Harry said coldly, trying to walk past the man.

He reached out and took hold of Harry's arm, stopping him from moving any further. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Away from you," Harry snapped, jerking his arm out of the man's hold and suppressing the urge to break the man's wrist when he made to take hold of his arm again. "Don't fucking touch me," he said, taking a step away from the man and glaring at the dog when it bared its teeth at him. "And if that dog comes near me again, I won't let it off so easily," he said.

"Your father asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you get to Ollivander's without any trouble," Remus said quietly. The dog growled again and Remus once again tightened his hold on the dog's collar.

Harry scowled, glancing down the Alley to make sure that no one was paying too much attention to their argument. "I can get to the wand shop on my own," he said. "I don't need a babysitter."

Remus offered him a small smile. "Then it's a good thing that I'm not here to babysit you," he said. "I'm just making sure that my godson doesn't get lost on his way to get his wand."

"Your godson?" Harry asked disbelievingly as he started making his way down the Alley, toward the wand shop.

Remus kept pace with him. "I don't know if he's already told you or not, but when Rose was born, James and Lily named Sirius her godfather and Molly Weasley her godmother. When you were born, James and Lily named myself and Severus Snape as your godfathers," he said. "I don't think you've met Severus, and I know you haven't formally met either Sirius or myself before today," he added.

Harry scowled. "I don't ever remember wanting to meet any of my supposed godparents, either," he said. "Especially since you all seemed just as willing to leave me with my Muggle family and forget I ever existed," he added.

"Is that what you think?" Remus asked.

"James hasn't let anyone tell me otherwise, and I'm starting not to care anymore," he said. "He's halfway insane," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Remus.

"You have no idea what the past decade has done to him," Remus said.

Harry frowned. "You heard that?" he asked.

Remus stayed silent, not saying anything for a brief moment. "He hasn't said anything because he doesn't want anything to happen to his family again," he said.

"They abandoned me," Harry snapped as he quickly ducked into the wand shop.

James was already there, speaking quietly with a man who looked to be the eldest Weasley. He looked over at Harry and Remus when the two of them, and the dog, walked into the shop. "Good," he said. "At least you didn't take too long," he said.

"He's not changing his mind," Harry said with a shrug. His eyes glared at the dog when he realized that it had tried to edge closer to him. "Watch the mutt," he snapped at Remus.

The brown-haired man nodded, though his almost amber-colored eyes flashed brightly before he looked away from Harry.

A short man with a messy white beard walked out from a back room, chuckling. "Young Mister Potter, I presume. I am Mister Ollivander, purveyor of wands," he said, immediately focusing on Harry. "I've been expecting you for quite some time. Come with me, please," he said, motioning for Harry to follow him. James made an odd noise and made to follow him, but Ollivander held up a hand. "He'll be just fine, Lord Potter. I haven't lost a young wizard yet," he said, stopping James from following them. When the man still tried to follow them, Ollivander shut the door to the back room in James' face and muttered a spell that locked it shut. "Now that we've got some privacy, let's get started," he said, looking over at Harry.

"That was brilliant," Harry said, grinning up at the man.

"In time, you'll be able to do it yourself," he said. "Now, which is your wand arm?"

Harry frowned slightly, looking down at his hands for a moment before looking up at Ollivander. "I'm ambidextrous," he said.

The old man smiled. "A talent that will likely serve you well as you get older. Which arm do you use more, then?" he asked.

Harry held up his left arm and Ollivander nodded. Out of nowhere, a measuring tape appeared and started making various measurements. "What now?" he asked.

"Now comes the most interesting part," Ollivander said, pulling a long box from the overstuffed shelves. "This first wand is a ten-inch birch with a unicorn hair," he said, taking the wand out and handing it to Harry. When the boy didn't do anything, he made an odd motion with his hands. "Give it a wave," he said. "There's only one way for us to figure out if it's the right fit for you," he said.

Harry nodded and flicked the wand a bit. All the lights in the back room exploded and Harry hissed, dropping the wand as it stung his palm.

Ollivander chuckled, putting the wand back in the box and replacing it on the shelf as he repaired the lights. "Clearly not," he said, walking down the hall and humming to himself. He stopped in front of another shelf and took one of the boxes from the bottom of a pile. "This one is an eleven-inch yew with a sapphire core," he said. As he walked back to Harry, he plucked another box that was teetering dangerously on one of the taller shelves. "Most of my wands with gem cores have gone to dark witches, but there is a chance," he said.

"Dark witches?"

"Certain families have magic that is more Dark oriented than your Potter family," he said. "From what little I know of the Donahue family, though, I would be inclined to guess that your magic orientation is almost as Dark as the Malfoy family, or the Black family," he said with a knowing look at Harry. "Have you not learned the differences between the orientation?" he asked, handing the yew wand to Harry.

He nodded. "Beth taught me about them," he said, handling the wand gingerly so as not to suffer another burn. "I just didn't know that wands could have an orientation on their own," he said. "But I guess, thinking about it, it makes sense."

Ollivander smiled, clearly pleased with Harry's statement. "Give it a flick," he said.

Harry nodded, hesitating a moment before doing as told.

This time, the lights went out, though nowhere near as violently, and the wand grew cold in Harry's hand. He quickly set the wand onto a nearby stool.

"Not that one either, then. I thought not, though the reaction does show you've got a Darker orientation than your sister," he said.

Harry frowned. "You remember selling Rose her wand?" he asked, replacing the yew wand in it's box.

Ollivander chuckled and opened the second box. "Young man, I remember each and every wand I have ever made, and I have never forgotten who has taken one of my wands," he said, looking at the box. "Not this one. Though I am a bit curious," he muttered.

"Curious?" Harry asked. This time he followed Ollivander through the shelves, looking at all the boxes of wands. It was almost overwhelming how many there were, and Harry found himself wondering how long it would take for him to try each of them. When Ollivander came to a stop and started looking for a box on a shelf below the dusty window, he continued looking around.

Neither of them noticed as a dust-covered box from the top shelf started humming quietly and vibrating.

When the box vibrated off the shelf, it fell directly onto Harry's head and opened up. The wand fell from the box and clattered to a stop at his feet.

Harry rubbed his head, glaring at the box. "Do they do that often?" he asked, bending down to pick up the wand.

Ollivander was silent, watching the interaction with an almost eager expression on his face.

As soon as Harry held the wand, it grew warm in his hand, though not uncomfortably so. Ignorant of the fact that the old man hadn't answered his question, Harry flicked the wand. The lights dimmed and a soft drifting of wind blew through the shop before swirling around Harry, rustling through his hair. A pleasant electricity, not unlike the smell of a coming summer thunderstorm, settled through the air and Ollivander's eyes lit up.

Harry looked up at him, unconsciously tightening his hold on the wand. "This is a good thing, right?" he asked.

Ollivander nodded. "An excellent thing. I've only had a wand so aggressively choose it's master a few times before, and your wand is a particularly unique case in and of itself," he said.

"What?" Harry asked, looking down at his wand. "How come?" he asked.

"Your wand is an eleven-inch holly wand, but the core is what makes this so interesting. Most of my wand cores are taken from a stock, but I was only allowed two feathers from the phoenix. One feather went into your wand, and the other feather went into another wand. Thirteen and one-half inches, made from yew, with the second feather," he said. "And this is peculiar," he added, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"What is?" Harry asked.

Ollivander looked up at him. "I suggest you keep this fact to yourself, but because of the shared cores, your wand is brother to that of the Dark Lord," he said.

Harry's eyes widened slightly and he looked down at his new wand with a renewed sense of respect. "Really?" he asked, an almost reverent tone to his voice.

"Be careful how you react to that information, young Mister Potter," Ollivander said, cautiously resting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "My shop is safe enough, especially behind closed doors, but times are tenuous enough that showing the wrong kind of interest in the Dark Lord will likely get you killed," he said. "And I have no doubt that greatness lies ahead for you," he added.

Harry nodded, finally looking away from his wand and meeting Ollivander's warning gaze. "Thank you, sir," he said, absently rubbing his head as he straightened himself.

The two of them headed out of the back room, and Ollivander seemed remarkably nonplussed when he came face to face with a furious James.

"Do you have any idea what I can do to you?" James snarled as he attempted to intimidate the old man. He shoved the tip of his wand into Ollivander's cheek, ignoring the look on the older man's face as he continued to snarl threats and curses in the man's direction.

Ollivander, for his part, seemed more amused than anything. "This shop and I have endured wars, riots, and temperamental wands," he said dismissively. "I have made each of my wands by hand, and they have a mind of their own, as your son can attest. However, if you'd like to attempt to attack me and risk the backlash of unclaimed wands, the Aurors, and myself, I welcome you to try," he said with a daring smirk. "I'll even give you the advantage of the first strike," he added with a vague flourish.

As the man spoke, the lights had dimmed a great deal and the temperature had dropped at least fifteen degrees. The glass of the windows had gained a light covering of ice, and the dog had started whining, tucking its tail between its legs as it pressed closer to Remus.

Harry smirked. He glanced behind Ollivander and noticed that a few of the shelves had started vibrating as the boxed wands came awake. One day, he wanted to be this powerful.

A tense moment passed before James snorted and took a step back. "Good show, old man, but dimming the lights and making it colder isn't going to scare anyone," he snapped, though he didn't seem entirely sure of his statement.

Ollivander chuckled coldly. "Consider yourself blessed that your son is here and I do not wish to scar him by killing his father," he said.

"I wouldn't really mind all that much, to be honest," Harry muttered under his breath.

Remus looked over at him and glared mildly, and his dog once again growled at Harry.

Ollivander glanced over at Harry, still smirking slightly.

"You wouldn't get away with it, anyway," James snapped.

"Do not underestimate me, Potter," Ollivander said, lifting his hand slightly. "And it would benefit you to remember that I crafted the wand you're threatening to use against me," he said.

Without another word between them, James dropped his wand suddenly and looked at his hand, which had a deep slash in his palm. He swore loudly, wrapping the sleeve of his robes around his palm and picking up his wand. "What the fuck was that?" he yelled.

Ollivander chuckled again. "All of my chosen wands have bonded to their masters, but none of them will ever forget who crafted them," he said. "And they know better than you not to turn against their Sire," he added.

Harry grinned, looking down at his wand. It was humming slightly, and it seemed to notice Harry's attention, because it grew warm in his hand, almost like a comforting embrace.

The redhead cleared his throat, catching the attention of everyone in the room, though not lessening the tension at all. "Mister Ollivander, I apologize for my companion's disrespect. He has been particularly overprotective of his son since they were recently reunited," he said, bowing to Ollivander. "If you would be so kind as to bill the boy's wand to the Potter account at Gringotts, your price will be paid in full. I will personally ensure that James will not return to your shop until he has learned to better control himself," he said, taking a firm grip on James' arm.

Ollivander hummed quietly, still clearly angry. Finally, he nodded. "Take note of the fact that James Potter is no longer welcome in my shop," he said, adopting a formal tone that had all three other adults staring at the man with wide eyes. "I do not care what excuse he offers, but if he attempts to breach the threshold of my shop without my express, verbal permission, I will consider him a violent threat and I will not restrain my actions in eliminating that threat," he said.

When James realized what the old man was saying, the blood quickly drained from his face and he looked incredulous. "You can't be serious," he said quietly, and there was a noticeable tremble in his voice.

Ollviander's gaze hardened at James. "I swear this oath on my shop, my reputation, and my blood," he said. "Only when all three have been taken from me will that oath be broken," he added.

"You're mad," James said, his voice barely more than a whisper as the redhead pulled him out of the shop. Remus followed them closely, looking oddly at Harry when he noticed that the boy wasn't following his father.

"So mote it be," Ollivander snapped. As soon as he said that, James was forcefully thrown back out into the Alley. The redhead was tossed with him, and the door shut and locked itself when James tried to get back inside, all the while yelling profanities.

Remus tried to pull James away from the door, only for James to punch him in the face. He bared his teeth at James in a very canine way before disappearing down the Alley, his dog no more than a few steps behind him.

"Be careful around that man," Ollivander said gently, surprising Harry.

"Sir?" Harry asked before nodding. "Yeah. He's not all there," he said.

Ollivander shook his head. "No, it's more than that," he said. "It is likely that he will become one of your enemies as you grow into your potential. I do not care to see you killed before your time, and I fear your father might go that far to ensure that you cannot betray him," he said.

"Why's he so afraid that I'll betray him?" Harry asked, glancing at the man on the other side of the door.

"It would be wise of you to ask your tutor that question," he said. "And if you care to learn more about the Donahue family, Gringotts has answers, and the goblins do not allow family secrets to be stolen from their walls," he said.

Harry nodded, filing that information away for later. Maybe Beth would be willing to take him on an outing during one of their next sessions. "Why are you being so nice to me when James was such a disgrace, sir?" he asked.

Ollivander smiled. "I told you that you are destined for greatness, Harrison," he said. "Your father was careless, and he has wasted his talent and allowed his prejudices to govern his behavior," he said. "When the time is right, we will speak again," he said, straightening himself. "Now, do your best to survive your father's wrath. You'll find some of what you're looking for at Hogwarts," he said.

Harry nodded and, feeling as though it was appropriate, bowed to the man. "Thank you for helping me find my wand, sir," he said. "I wish you well," he said before leaving the shop.

Once outside, James cornered Harry against the front window of the shop. "What the fuck are you thinking, kid?" he snapped. "If I leave a shop, you come with me! I don't know what those Muggle idiots taught you, but family loyalty means something in our world!" he all but yelled, raising his hand as though to strike Harry.

Harry's eyes flashed dangerously and he caught James' wrist before the man could slap him. "My family loyalty to you is only true if I consider you my family, _James,_" Harry hissed coldly. "Family means you don't fucking abandon your son," he snapped, breaking James' thumb in a quick move and ignoring the look on the man's face. He contained the pain well, though, making no sound as his bones broke. "Family means you don't decide you want to be a father to your son and then steal him from the people who cared enough to raise him properly, even if they are only Muggles," he said, breaking James' middle finger. "And family means that you don't hide information from your son, and you do not ever attempt to strike him," he snapped, breaking James' wrist and pulling a sharp cry of pain from the man.

The redhead looked over at Harry, eyes wide with terror. "You're a demon," he said.

Harry glared at the man. "No," he said, giving James' arm a painful jerk when the man opened his mouth to say something. "My Muggles made sure that I knew how to protect myself in case someone tried to attack me," he snapped, sounding much older than his not-quite-eleven years. "Apparently they knew better than me that there are people who are willing to try and assert their dominance by beating someone who is supposedly weaker than them." He looked up at James. "Try that again and it will be your neck that I break," he said, finally letting go of the man's wrist and walking away, down the Alley.

As he walked away, he passed Remus and his dog. Both of them were watching him with a hesitant curiosity. "Do you really hate your father so much?" Remus asked quietly.

"He has done nothing that proves he is worthy to be called my father," Harry said coldly. "You might be able to get through to him better than me, so tell him that I am only living with him and his family because he has left me nowhere else to go," he spat, glaring at the man.

Remus reached out as though to take hold of his shoulder again.

Harry stepped back with a sneer and took hold of the necklace he was wearing. Lily had given it to him one night - it was a small emerald crucifix that supposedly used to belong to her mother, and she'd changed it into an emergency Portkey in case Harry ever needed to come back to the Manor and there wasn't anyone nearby to Apparate him there. "Take me home," he growled, and the Portkey immediately spirited him back to his bedchambers in the Potter Manor.

He looked over at the doors and made a downward slashing motion with his wand, hissing the word "_Barricade_" as he did so. The doors shut more securely and Harry smirked, knowing that they wouldn't be letting anyone into his room unless James was able to break through a Parseltongue locking spell he'd found in the one book he had of Parselmagic.

Kado quickly made his way down from the balcony, incredibly concerned when he noticed how angry Harry was. "_What's wrong_?" he asked, moving up Harry's body and settling around his shoulders.

"_I hate James_," Harry hissed, tucking his wand into the back pocket of his jeans. "_I want him dead, but he made a scene today and I retaliated and I would probably be the first person looked at if he showed up dead somewhere,_" he said.

"_What did he do_?" Kado asked as Harry made his way up to the balcony and flopped down onto the couch.

"_He made a scene and threatened the wandmaker_," Harry said. "_And then he tried to strike me_."

"_He struck you_?" Kado asked. He tightened himself around Harry and moving into a striking position. "_I will kill him_."

"_He didn't touch me. I broke two of his fingers and his wrist before he had the chance_," Harry said, smirking a bit as he started lightly petting Kado's head. "_There's no need for you to get so defensive, though it is appreciated,_" he said, pressing a light kiss to the snake's head. "_I saw Lord Salvatore again, and Lucius and Draco_," he said.

"_And how are they doing_?" Kado asked, butting his head against Harry's chin and settling on Harry's chest, making himself himself comfortable in a patch of sunlight.

"_I was doing well,_" Harry said. "_I think Draco's father even almost liked me and Lord Salvatore might even respect me. Or at least, he might in the near future_," he said.

Kado was silent for a moment. "_James will not last too much longer, especially if he continues provoking you_," he hissed gently. "_I may not be venomous, but I am a constrictor, and I will kill him in his sleep if he comes after you again._"

Harry smiled, laughing quietly. "_I appreciate the offer, Kado, but that is far too cowardly for me_," he said. "_I'd much rather kill him so that he knows it's me and so he suffers, but in a way that no one can prove it's me,_" he said.

Kado seemed to smirk. "_Commendable_," he said. "_You will, of course, allow me to help once you've made your plan_?" he asked.

Harry nodded and kissed Kado's head again. "_What would I do without you_?" he asked.

"_Clearly you would be lost_," the snake said. "_Now, you can wait to speak to Beth tomorrow morning about what to do about your afternoon in the Alley, but for now, you will not move, and you will allow me to use you as a bed_," he said.

Harry chuckled. "_Your wish is my command, darling_," he said quietly, leaning back. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and set it on the couch next to his head.

...

When he woke up, someone was pounding on the doors to his bedroom. He opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them, and grinned when he noticed that Kado was spread out over his torso. "_Get up. There's someone at the door_," he said tiredly.

"_Let them stay at the door,_" Kado hissed, sounding just as tired as Harry. "_If they get in, we will hide from them_," he said. "_And if they continue to pursue us, we will attack and kill them_," he said.

Harry smiled slightly but shifted Kado off of him. "_I've caused made enough of a scene today already_," he said. "_There's no reason to make any more problems_."

Kado hissed irritably and cursed at Harry, but he moved to make himself more comfortable on the couch as Harry got up, picked up his wand, and headed down the stairs.

As he expected, it was James, though Remus was at his side, keeping a white-knuckle hold on the man's upper arm. "What the fuck is the matter with you, boy?" James roared. "I could have you jailed for assaulting me in front of a crowd!"

Harry smirked, tucking his his wand into his back pocket. "That's one way to send the message of family unity," he said calmly, looking over at Remus. The man looked over at him, and once again, the brunette man's eyes flashed almost gold. "And you've brought someone to mediate?"

Remus shook his head slightly. "I'm here to make sure that he doesn't try to hurt you again," he said. "And to make sure that you keep your hands off of him," he added.

"And what's going to stop you if I decide to defend myself again?" Harry asked, looking the man over. He was lean, and he still looked tired, but Eli had taught him early on not to judge outward appearances. The first two times he'd thought Eli weak because of his stature, he'd ended up with a broken nose and bruised ribs. There was something about Remus' eyes, though, that had Harry both confused and mildly frightened.

"Remus," James said coldly. "The full moon is in two nights, and there's no reason for you to get into trouble," he said. "He may be in serious need of discipline, but he doesn't need to be mauled just yet."

That sparked a flare of recognition in Harry's mind and he scowled. "Werewolf," he hissed under his breath.

Remus looked over at him, eyes widened slightly.

"What?" Harry snapped. "Like that was really the most subtle thing he could have ever said?" he asked, motioning at James. "He's going to yell and call me Dark and evil and whatever else he'd like to see me as, but he's not going to do anything, because he still wants to present to his friends a picture of the united Potter family, who will stand strong against whatever the hell he sees as the enemy," he snapped.

James opened his mouth to say something, but Harry turned a glare on him.

"I may only be a kid, but I broke your wrist once today and I won't hesitate to do it again if you push me to it," he snapped.

Remus seemed to understand Harry more completely, because he deliberately moved himself in front of James. "I'll see that he's not left alone with you again," he said, shoving James back when the man started swearing loudly and tried to push past Remus.

Harry said nothing for a moment. "You stay away from me, too," he said. "I don't care that you were named my uncle or godfather or whatever. You've already sided with James, and from this point forward, any friend of his is not one of mine," he said.

Remus hesitated for a moment before turning to James. "Go back and finish getting ready for dinner with the Weasleys," he said. When James didn't immediately do as told, Remus growled at him, and the feral, though weak, sound eliminated any doubts Harry had that Remus was a werewolf.

As soon as James was out of sight and out of earshot, Remus turned to Harry. "I understand your dislike of James," he said, choosing his words carefully.

Harry arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Dislike is too mild a word for how I feel for James," he said coolly.

"My Sire and I do not share a blood bond, but I feel much the same way about him that you do about James," Remus said after a brief pause. "And I am sorry that this is the way that we've met each other, but there were extenuating circumstances preventing me from visiting you while you were with the Muggles," he said.

Harry scoffed. "Because excuses are such a good way to start your offer for friendship," he said.

"I'm not offering friendship," Remus said, and that caught Harry's attention. "What I'm asking for is a chance," he said.

"A chance?" Harry asked disbelievingly.

"One chance, be it tea together, lunch, any outing of your choice," he said. "You can choose the time and place. I'd just like to get to know my godson, and the chance for you to get to know me, if you'd like, before you permanently eliminate me from your life," he said.

Harry hesitated for a long moment. "It's not going to happen any time soon," he said.

Remus was clearly less than pleased by that statement, but he quickly hid his disappointment with a blank mask and nodded. "Whatever you wish," he said.

Harry nodded. "Then I'll consider it," he said.

"That's all I can ask," Remus said before walking down the hall.

Once he turned a corner, Harry stepped back into his room and shut the door, quickly replacing the Parseltongue wards. He sighed heavily, leaning against the doors and closing his eyes. If this was what his family life was going to be like, then he wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to survive Hogwarts.

"_Stop getting concerned about things you know nothing about_," Kado called from his spot in the balcony. "_Come back up here and take another nap. You'll see things much clearer after you've gotten some sleep_," he said.

Harry headed up to the balcony and smirked at the snake when he moved a bit, enough to make room for Harry on the couch. "_I'm actually going to find a book to read to distract me_," he said before looking up at the basilisk painting on the wall.

"_The little snake has a point_," the basilisk hissed, clearly amused.

Harry grinned at the snake. "_How about we compromise and I fall asleep after I read the book?_" he asked.

The basilisk seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding. She shifted herself a bit and the portrait opened to reveal a room about the same size as Ollivander's back room, filled with shelves that were bursting with books. "_You are much more interesting than my last owner_," she said.

"_Was he a Speaker_?" Harry asked as he walked into the library and headed to get one of his favorite books.

The basilisk hissed a serpentine laughter as Harry pulled the book about dragons off of the shelf and left the library. "_He liked to think so, though he was a bit mad_," she said.

Harry settled on the couch, setting his wand on the table next to the couch, and opened his book as Kado once again moved to make himself comfortable on Harry's chest. "_Enjoy your nap Kado_," he hissed to the snake as he started reading his book


	13. Chapter 12

Hey, so here's another chapter, right before exams and everything. (And because I'm still getting people asking whether or not this will be slash. Keep in mind that Harry is still like 11 years old, so any dirty business that happens will happen way, WAY further in the story, because even thinking about making Harry get busy right now just makes me feel really uber-creepy. So, yes, **this will be a slash story**, but it will take a while before that happens.)

Oh yeah, there's a thing with Christianity and faith in the middle of the story. It's not too in-depth, and it will definitely not be a frequent occurrence in this story, but it's there. (Just a warning.)

Anyway, now that we've cleared the air about that (again), here's the next chapter. Enjoy - and feedback is always appreciated!

Chapter 12

Harry woke up with a start when Kado abruptly butted his head against his chin. "_Go away, snake_," he hissed, shoving Kado onto the other side of the couch and trying to go back to sleep.

"_Do not ignore me, boy,_" Kado hissed back, sounding decidedly angry. He butted his head against Harry's neck. "_I have no venom in me, so I am not afraid to bite you_."

Harry scowled and opened his eyes. "_What, Kado_?" he asked, ready to shove the snake away again until he noticed that Kado was almost frantic. "_What's wrong_?" he asked.

"_There is someone powerful in one of the other wings of the house. Can you not feel it, child_?" Kado asked. "_The magic is stifling, even to me_."

He opened his mouth to respond to Kado before he felt what the snake was talking about. Beth had taught him about feeling magic, and while doing so, the two of them had determined that Harry had a Darker orientation than he'd thought - and he was already quite powerful for his age. Because of that, strong concentrations Light magic could give him a headache, especially if the wizard in question was doing his best to display the force of his power. Whoever it was in the Manor, they were not trying to hide their power.

"_What do you suggest we do?_" he asked, running into his wardrobe and pulling on a plain green t-shirt and a pair of black jeans with holes worn in the knees.

"_Leave. As quickly and as quietly as possible_," Kado hissed, sounding too worried for Harry's comfort. "_Even if it's just to the gardens outside._"

Harry nodded, silently agreeing with the snake as he fastened his jeans and pulled on a pair of dragonhide boots. The stranger's magic pulsated suddenly throughout the house, giving him a small headache. He jogged over to the bed and tucked his wand in a pocket in his jeans designed to hide it, and he wasn't surprised to see Kado waiting for him on one of the pillows. "_Around my shoulders_?" he asked, and the snake nodded. Without saying anything, Harry picked Kado up and waited as he settled himself loosely around Harry's neck. Once he was comfortable, Kado gently butted his head against Harry's neck and the boy headed out of the room.

As he was closing the door behind himself, he heard someone walking up and turned around suddenly, pulling his wand out and pointing it at Beth.

Beth smiled apologetically at him, holding her hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Harry," she said quietly. "I heard that your parents invited Albus Dumbledore to speak with you after your little argument with your father yesterday," she said. With a slight frown, she wordlessly summoned a black cloak for Harry. "Put it on before we leave," she said when he hesitated.

"Why?"

"While I personally find your snake fascinating, if a bit scary, the public reception would be much less than friendly and he'd likely be dead when I bring you back here," she said as he pulled the cloak on, making sure that Kado was completely hidden before looking back over at her. "I'm taking you to Diagon Alley. There are a few errands I need to run, and I have a feeling that you'd benefit from visiting Gringotts. You haven't met with the goblins yet, have you?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "Mister Ollivander told me yesterday that it would be a good idea, though."

Beth smiled and pulled a small piece of fool's gold from her pockets. "Do not lose your grip," she said.

Harry smiled grimly, reaching up to tap Kado's head in a silent warning that they were traveling by Portkey.

When another pulse of Light magic sent a wave through the house, shaking some of the nearby portraits with the sheer force of the power, both of them flinched.

Beth scowled, and murmured a word in French that Harry didn't quite catch. With that phrase, the two of them disappeared from the Potter Manor.

They reappeared just seconds later in Beth's living room. She didn't give Harry too much time to look around, instead pulling him into a tight embrace and Apparating away.

She let go of him just in front of the Gringotts building, frowning when she noticed that he looked a bit green. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I don't like side-long Apparition," he said, looking up at her once he was sure that he wasn't going to vomit.

"The more powerful wizards tend to be unsettled with Apparition," she said. "Are you steady?"

He nodded.

"_Tell that woman that if she puts us through that much quick travel again, I will sneak into her bed in the middle of the night and squeeze the life out of her,_" Kado hissed, shifting a bit under the robe.

Harry smirked slightly and reached up to touch Kado's head. "I'm ready to go," he told Beth.

She nodded slightly, doing her best not to look too unnerved at the suddenly amused look on Harry's face, or Kado's momentary reappearance before the snake resettled himself under the folds of Harry's robe. "When we go into the bank, try not to attract too much attention," she said. "I don't know if you've seen a goblin before, but when we get into the bank, they will likely already know you. Try not to stare, and it's better if you try not to get offended at their sense of humor," she added, offering her hand to him.

He took it and let her lead him into the bank.

As soon as they were inside the bank, they were approached by an old, sinister-looking goblin. "Cody Harrison Donahue?" he asked, looking directly at Harry.

Beth frowned again and looked over at him. "Do you have business here?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Not intentionally," he said.

The goblin looked over at Beth. "Are you the boy's guardian?" he asked.

"She can stay with me. She's my aunt," Harry said suddenly, not looking away from the goblin.

"Not by blood," the goblin said, looking over at Harry with a shark-like grin on his face.

"No, not by blood," Harry agreed. "But by oath, and she's agreed to teach me and keep me safe."

"Still, this business is best kept private. I assure you that you will come to no harm in our bank today," the goblin said. "The woman will wait here," he said.

Harry hesitated, glancing up at Beth.

She nodded. "It's alright. I have business to conduct with my own vault," she said.

Harry frowned slightly but nodded. "Lead the way, sir," he said.

"My name is Griphook, boy, not sir," the goblin said as he led Harry into a private office. "This should have been conducted as soon as the Lady died, but we could not reach you even after multiple attempts. Our records showed that you were staying with extended relatives," he said, shutting the door behind Harry and motioning for the boy to take a seat. "And with Muggles, no less," he added.

"What Lady?" Harry asked, ignoring the reference to the Dursleys as he sat in a stiff leather chair in front of a desk.

"The woman who named you her heir," Griphook said as he opened a file on his desk. "There is a note here that says her naming was a private matter. Hmm. Regardless of that clause, you should have been notified of her death," he said.

"I thought I was just a Potter," Harry said.

Griphook laughed quietly, the sound far from pleasant. "The Potter family is quite powerful, boy, and there is no such thing as 'just a Potter.' You would do well to take advantage of your position and your family's influence. You'll find that the power can be quite persuasive, even to those people who aren't on the same side as your family," he said, pulling a parchment notebook from the file and handing it over to Harry. "This has all the information you'll need."

Harry frowned, taking the notebook and flipping through the pages. The covers were made of a dark leather, and all the pages were yellowed with age, some of them dogeared, and one with what looked to be stained with old, dried blood. The first page was the only one that had anything written on it, and the rest of them were blank. He looked back up at the goblin, asking a silent question of him.

"I've handled the Donahue case for the past few generations. The first page of that notebook is a letter to you, and there is a note within that letter that it is also to serve as Lady Donahue's will. The rest of the notebook has information that only the heir can read. The words will only appear after you have been named the formal heir to the Donahue family. Do not allow anyone else to take this notebook from you," he said.

"I won't," Harry said. "But if I'm the only one who can read it, why does it matter if anyone else sees it?" he asked, flipping through the pages.

"Family secrets should be kept well protected, boy. No matter how many safeguards there are on that notebook, you can never be too careful," Griphook said, as though he knew that Harry's curiosity was purely innocent. He grinned. "Even with an unknown family like the Donahues, the secrets must be protected. Treat that notebook like your life depends on it," he said.

Harry nodded, flipping back through the pages of the book to get to the first page.

"I'll give you a moment alone to read Lady Donahue's will," Griphook said, standing up and setting the file back on top of the file. "Do not let your snake loose in my office," he said, grinning again at the shocked look on Harry's face. Without saying anything else, he walked out of the office and shut the door gently behind himself.

"_I like that creature_," Kado said quietly, shifting a bit on Harry's shoulders.

"_Me too, I think_," Harry said as he turned back to the first page and started reading the letter.

...

To the little orphan boy in Surrey,

Cody Harrison Donahue.

I know well that your parents are still alive, and I am well aware this is not the name that your parents bestowed upon you. You are quite a fascinating child, though, and I will never regret adopting you into my family, as my heir. No doubt you have your own curiosities about why I have adopted you when we have, and will, never meet in person.

When the Muggle woman changed your name from the one you were born with, she unknowingly invoked an oft-ignored clause from the Old Ways that allowed me to claim you as my heir.

I am an old woman and I have no children, making you my sole heir. It is not much, but you are welcome to anything of mine that you desire.

It is entirely likely that I will have died before you get the chance to read this letter, but if that is not the case, I must implore that you do not try to seek me out. I am quite accustomed to my solitary life and my allies and I will not stand for your caretakers interrupting the privacy of the lands surrounding my home when they come to find you.

I assure you that I did not adopt you to gain myself a son. Had that been my intention, I would have merely stolen you from your family and raised you as a son. But you were kept healthy and taught well, so there was no need to remove you from your family, even if they are of lesser blood. Do not be alarmed that I have kept tabs on you, my heir. I named you my heir and as such, it is my responsibility to ensure that you are not mistreated. None have noticed my observations, though; I will not jeopardize your status as the future Potter Lord by revealing your association with the likes of myself. I have not been welcome amongst your kind for a number of years, and neither has the rest of our family.

I named you as my heir because I know well the cruelty of growing up nameless. I have no good name to offer, but I have learned that growing up with a bad name is better than no name at all. It is too much to ask of a child, and if the rumors surrounding your birth are true, you already have too heavy a fate attached to your soul.

In the event of my death, my heir, this letter will serve as my will. In that case, I will state that I am of sound mind and health. I am under no duress, and what I write henceforth shall be considered my last will and testament.

I bequeath my entire estate, all of my earthly possessions to my sole heir, who has been given the false name Cody Harrison Donahue. His birth name is of no concern to me. He is the sole heir to my modest wealth, which, according to my account, numbers no more than 60,000 Galleons and 42 Sickles.

We have no public seats, nor any public standing. Our family has prided itself on staying out of politics, both because of disinterest and because our priorities have always pointed away from the human conflicts that have plagued Scotland and the other countries on this great island. If you would like to pursue politics, I would request that you do so under the Potter name, and leave the Donahues out of that circle. There are far more delicate tasks that this family has been given, and public attention will hinder the ability to properly complete those tasks.

Before I formally pass on my home to you, I should warn you that there are some rather complications surrounding the lands I call home. To anyone outside the family, my location is shown as a loft in a city slums, as there has been something of a treaty in place that requires certain safeguards be placed on the lands surrounding my home. Once you have accepted the position of Lord Donahue, you will be able to read the location of my home on the next page in this notebook. You will also be informed as to the wards that have been placed on the house, when they need to be renewed, and the names of those who are currently permitted to enter the property, if there are any.

My home, which is to be yours after my death, is a small manor on the outskirts of a part of the Caledonian Forest that the Muggles think to be long gone. The treaty has been in place since before the Donahue of four generations ago decided to add an outdoor swimming pool to the estate.

Do not be alarmed, my heir. The treaty was made with the werewolves, who have inhabited the forest long before the humans settled Scotland. They allow those of the Donahue name to live in peace, so long as we do not interfere with pack matters. You'll find, should you decide to come to the manor, that some of them are actually quite friendly with you. The Donahue family has managed to establish something of a good report with the pack, and there is an understanding between our family and the pack Alphas that they can rely on our assistance and discretion if they come into any problems, especially with other wizards and the like. They will not tolerate deliberate interference in pack business, though, so tread carefully and make sure that you speak with the Alpha before you address any other pack members, otherwise you risk presenting yourself as a threat.

There is nothing else I can offer you but my hopes that you will succeed in life, and that you will not find your fate too heavy. My home, my fortune, and all of my possessions are yours now, my heir.

After my death, you are free to visit our vault. The family rings are stored there, and once I am dead, the ring naming you Lord Donahue will have returned to a red velvet ring box. Once you put that ring on, it cannot be removed until your death, and you will have formally accepted your role in our family. I hope and trust you will do well for our name.

I wish you nothing but the best, my heir.

Yours,

Lady Evelyn Donahue

...

"_Well_?" Kado asked when Harry leaned back.

"I need to visit the Donahue vault, if it's not too much trouble," he said, making sure to speak in English as he heard the office door open again.

"But of course not, my young Lord," Griphook said with a cruel smile.

He frowned at the goblin. "You don't need to use any formalities with me, Griphook," he said. "Just Harry is fine."

"Do you expect that we will be friends, boy?" he asked coldly.

Harry paused for a moment, a bit surprised by both the statement and the frosty tone the goblin used. "I had hoped so, at least before you asked that question," he said. "At the very least, I was taught to respect the people I do business with," he added.

At that statement, the goblin's smile grew much friendlier. "I can respect that sentiment, boy," he said. "It is rare for goblins to befriend your kind, Harry. Allies, perhaps, would serve us both better than a friendship."

"I'd be honored either way," Harry said, already knowing that Griphook was not the sort of creature to tolerate disrespect. Not that he was tempted to risk his standing with the goblin. He hesitated for a moment, clutching the notebook to his chest. "You said you've handled the Donahue account for a while, right?"

"At least two centuries," he said. "Why?"

"Would you be able to teach me how to manage the estate?" he asked. "You know, if there's any business that needs settled or anything like that?" he asked. "Beth taught me about how to maintain a family name, and the letter says that we have-"

"Do not share that information with me, or with anyone else," Griphook said sharply, glaring at Harry. "I can guarantee that this office is safe, and even though the Donahue family is not well-known, there are people who will do what they can to elevate themselves with whatever means they can," he said. "Keep all information in that notebook to yourself."

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry," he said.

Griphook chuckled darkly. "There is no need to apologize, boy," he said. "Now, come with me and I'll take you to your family vault."

He nodded again and followed the goblin out of the office, through the halls, and to a cart on the tracks that led to the vaults.

The two of them quickly got into the cart.

"Does this thing go fast?" Harry asked as he got himself settled as best he could.

"A bit," Griphook said before the cart sped off into the depths of the vault.

About five minutes of navigating through the tracks at breakneck speeds, the cart finally came to a rickety stop in front of a large, ornate oak door. Engraved on the front of the door, just above where the doorknob should be, was the paw print of a wolf and the number 1095 was engraved just below it.

Harry dislodged Kado from around his neck, ignoring the snake's furious hissing and cursing at Griphook. "_Enough_," he said quietly, not noticing the slight widening of the goblin's eyes at his statement. Without saying anything else to Kado, Harry reached up and touched the number on the door. "Is this the vault number?" he asked.

"It is, though it's origin is a bit unorthodox."

"How come?"

"This family line has existed since before the imposition of Christianity, and they used to have a great deal of power in Scotland. They were hunted down because of their power, and only a few managed to survive. One of the survivors sought shelter in this bank. He had no account."

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"He brought the only money he had and begged us for shelter. We extended him kindness and forged a vault."

"I don't understand how that's supposed to be unorthodox, though."

"He came to us just after the dawn of the year 1095, and we destroyed the contents of the previous vault with that name to ensure that your ancestor was kept safe," Griphook said with a grin. "And there's an agreement in the back of your little book between our oldest goblins and your ancestor that we will not destroy his sanctuary."

Harry smiled slightly. "That is unusual, then?" he asked.

"It is rare for friendships between our kinds," Griphook said, echoing his earlier statement. "You've just got your family name working in your benefit, as well as your courtesy."

"Thank you," Harry said, bowing his head slightly to the goblin.

He grinned. "Be careful with your gratitude, boy," he said. "There are those who would take advantage of you."

Harry nodded, not saying anything.

"Press your hand on the paw print. There will be a small prick of your blood taken to acknowledge you as the rightful heir to the Donahue family, and you will be granted access to the vault. That's how you will access your vault in the future, as there are no keys, and it won't need as much blood if you're wearing the family ring," he said.

Harry nodded again and did as told. He flinched when it felt like something stabbed his hand, pulling it away suddenly. There was shallow gash in his palm, and he looked over at Griphook, who was once again grinning menacingly, though he was clearly amused at the situation. "Thanks for that warning," he drawled. "Small prick, right. Just like the Atlantic Ocean is only a puddle," he muttered, pushing the door open and walking inside the vault, Griphook's amused chuckles following him. He tucked his hand into the pocket of his jeans, doing his best to hide the flinch at the friction. Judging by the way Kado started shifting, he hadn't done a good job.

As far as vaults went, it seemed almost ...normal. It was barely the size of his bathroom, and apart from the three large trunks in the corner of the room, there was really nothing too spectacular about it. There was a bed against the left wall, and on the top of the nightstand next to the bed was a red velvet ring box.

"_Why are you bleeding_?" Kado asked as Harry walked toward the nightstand. He poked his head out from under the sleeve of Harry's robe, his tongue flicking at his hand.

"_Entrance fee_," Harry muttered, picking up the ring box with his wounded hand while his other clutched tight onto the notebook. "Beth said the middle finger for the Lord ring," he mumbled to himself, opening the box.

The ring, much like the rest of the vault, was rather nondescript. It was a black ring with some etching on the inside.

"_Are you sure that's the Lord ring_?" Kado asked.

Harry shrugged. "The family has a reputation of keeping to themselves," he said. "A subtle ring would only help them with that, right?"

"That is part of it," Griphook said from his position outside of the vault. "But it is forged of an ancient gem. The broadflash black opal. It will be much more remarkable when it is exposed to sun or moon light," he said. "The etching on the inside of the ring is your family's motto."

"How do you know?"

"I watched as the ring was forged. In this very vault, no less. As I said, there is an unorthodox relationship between my kind and your family," he said with a smirk. "If you are able to live up to your family's name, put the ring on. If you cannot accept your duties, you will forever be considered the heir and the line will die with you," he said.

Harry sent a mild glare in the goblin's direction. "But no pressure or anything, right?" he asked.

"I ask nothing more than you are capable of," Griphook said. "I know power when it walks into my bank, and I know better than to underestimate such power when I can taste it."

Harry scowled and looked at the ring. After sharing a look with Kado, he picked the ring up and slid it easily onto the middle finger of his left hand - the customary position for the Lord ring. As soon as he did so, the gash in his palm sealed, and all he was left with was a pale scar running the length of his palm and a dull ache in his hand. The trunks along the wall clicked, unlocking themselves, and opened to reveal modest stacks of Galleons.

"This is amazing," Harry said, looking back over at Griphook. "But why is there a bed in the vault?"

"Part of our agreement with your ancestor. As long as the bed is here, you will be able to find shelter here, if you need it," he said.

"Thank you," Harry said. He looked over at the vaults and then back down at the ring on his finger. "I don't think I need anything else this time."

Griphook nodded and stepped aside as Harry walked out of the vault. "Back in the cart then, my friend," he said with more dark laughter.

"There isn't another way?"

"You could try walking back on the tracks, but then you'd have to dodge the other carts," he said with a grin. "And then I'd be tasked with cleaning up the mess you leave behind," he added.

"Fine, fine," Harry said. "I'll get in the cart," he said as he gathered Kado into his lap, bracing both himself and the snake for the ride back, which seemed even more hectic than the ride down to the vault.

Back in the main lobby of the bank, Harry found Beth waiting for him. She didn't bother trying to hide her amusement as Kado once again made himself comfortable around Harry's neck.

Harry squirmed a bit, doing his best not to look like there was a snake moving under his robes. "Did you get your business settled?" he asked, shrinking the notebook and putting it in his pocket.

"I did," she said. "And you, little Lord?" she asked, making a vague motion at Harry's ring.

"Yes," Harry said quietly.

"How does brunch sound, then?" she asked with a sly grin.

Harry frowned, not trusting the look on her face, but nodded slowly. "I am a bit hungry," he said. "Why? And what's with the smile?"

"There is a restaurant near my house that you'd like, what with your affinity for Chinese food. The staff there know well to be discreet and I know you've got some questions that still haven't been answered. James won't be able to run interference in the middle of a restaurant, and there are a number of charms I've taught you that will prevent anyone from eavesdropping on our conversation," she said.

Harry smirked up at her. "Why Auntie Beth," he drawled. "You're not as dumb as you look," he said.

"Come here, brat, and hold still," she said, laughing quietly as she pulled him into a tight embrace. With a loud pop, the two of them disappeared from the bank.

They reappeared a moment later in the main lobby of a restaurant.

A young woman walked up to them, grinning widely when she saw Beth. "Terry!" she said, pulling the woman into a hug. "It's been too long!"

"It's been two months, maybe," Beth said. "And how many times do I have to tell you not to call me Terry?" she asked when the younger woman let go of her.

"Clearly not enough," the woman said. "But if you didn't want me calling you that, you shouldn't have introduced yourself as such when we first met." She grinned at the scowl that Beth sent her before looking over at Harry. "I didn't know you had a son," she said. "And he looks a lot like that Potter kid, too."

"Erin, he's only my nephew, Cody. He came to visit me for the day," Beth said quickly. "And as much as I'd like to stay and chat, we've got an appointment later today. We can't stay long," she said.

The young woman, Erin, apparently, nodded. "You're already on the priority list," she said. "I'll take you to your usual booth. You still want the Asian menu, right?"

Beth just nodded, motioning for Harry to follow the woman into the back of the restaurant. Once they were alone in a private booth with two menus, Beth put up a number of privacy charms. "Which question would you like me to answer first?" she asked.

"I've only got two, at least for now," he said. "I want to know why people stare at me and I want to know why James and Lily abandoned me with my Muggle family."

"The two answers are tied together, actually," Beth said before looking around. "This is information that you must keep to yourself. There are people in our world who will kill you for this information, and they won't go about it quickly."

Harry nodded. "I promise. I'll take it to my grave," he said.

She nodded, hesitating for a long moment. "There was a prophecy that involves you," Beth said quietly.

Harry frowned. "What does it say?" he asked.

"I don't know the exact words, only James and Lily do. Your parents witnessed the prophecy being delivered, and Lily told me the basic gist of it after I first agreed to tutor you," she said, making a subtle motion with her hand that Harry recognized as Beth silently reinforcing the privacy charms woven around them. Without needing any prompting, she leaned forward a bit and continued speaking in a quieter voice. "According to the woman who spoke the prophecy, twins would be born to those who had thrice defied the Dark Lord, and each would be powerful, one having the power to vanquish the Dark Lord and the other having the power to save him," she said.

"What do you mean, save him?"

She shook her head. "I've no clue. Lily seems to think that it meant that one twin would have brought about the victory of the Light, while the other twin would have been able to stand with the Dark Lord and usher in a new era of the Dark Order," Beth said. She opened her mouth to say something else, but abruptly fell silent and disabled the privacy charms as Erin walked back up to the table.

"What can I get for the two of you today?" she asked, setting two glasses and a pitcher of ice water onto the table.

Beth looked over at Harry, who shrugged. "We'll both have my usual," she said.

"General Tso and orange chicken it is," Erin said, collecting the two menus and grinning over at Beth. "It should be up in about ten minutes," she said before walking away.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Beth restored the charms and looked back over at Harry. "So she was pregnant with twins that could literally change the course of our world," she said.

"But I'm not a twin," Harry said.

Beth nodded. "In the fifth month of the pregnancy, one of the twins completely devoured the other," she said. "Lily almost died from the complications, but she and James still believed the prophecy could come to fruition when you were born."

"But they don't know if I'm going to help them or not," Harry said quietly.

"Precisely," Beth said. "And that's part of the reason why James acts so unbalanced around you. He doesn't know where your loyalties lie yet, and because of the prophecy, he doesn't know whether he needs to support your actions or whether to suspect you of being Dark," she said.

Not knowing what to say, Harry just stayed silent. Finally, after a long moment of hesitation, he frowned. "But why did they get rid of me, then?" he asked.

"When you were just a few months old, the Potters came back from a party at the Weasley house to find the Dark Lord in your bedroom," she said. "Apparently he was putting some sort of spell on you, and you were laughing while he drew a symbol on your forehead in blood," she said, motioning at the small lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead. "James panicked and attacked the Dark Lord while Lily went to get you. The next morning, they dropped you with your Muggle relatives, likely in the hopes that the Dark Lord would think you dead."

"But my Aunt told me that Albus Dumbledore was the one to drop me off."

"There are rumors that he sealed away part of your magic so that no one would be able to find you, and so that anyone who thought to harm you would think you were already dead," she said. "But you're back now, and not everyone knows that story, but the Potters are a well-known family and there have been a number of rumors circulating as to why they sent you away," she added.

"Oh," Harry said plainly.

"Is that all you've got to say after that?" Beth asked, a bemused expression on her face.

"I would ask you why James is at least halfway mad, but I don't particularly care," he said. "And I don't really put any faith in prophecies," he added. "The Dursleys were never ones to emphasize faith in deities, and I guess that passed on to me," he said.

Beth frowned slightly. "That may serve to your disadvantage, if this war becomes more active and you are pulled into the fight," she said. "Lack of faith has killed far too many men before you," she said, a sad look coming over her face before she quickly adopted an emotionless expression.

"I have faith," Harry protested quietly, fidgeting with the hem of his robe sleeve.

"In what?" Beth asked.

"A lot of things, I guess," Harry said, still not meeting Beth's eyes. "Just not in any sort of god."

Beth frowned but didn't say anything else about it. She noticed Erin coming their way with a tray of food and cancelled the privacy charms yet again.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked after the food had been laid out in front of them.

She hesitated for a moment. "I've seen wavering faith kill men before," she said. "Just be careful where you put your faith and don't make any stupid decisions. I don't ever want to attend your funeral," she said.

Harry smirked up at her, a sudden wave of confidence coming over him. "Don't worry about that," he said. "I'm not going to run off and start fighting a war until I'm really ready to fight," he said.

Beth paused for a moment, not saying anything.

Before Harry started eating, he looked back up at her. "I don't want anyone knowing I'm Lord Donahue yet," he said. "Is there any way to hide my ring?" he asked.

She shook her head. "The purpose of the ring is to inform people of your rank," she said. "It's meant to be displayed, but if you feel it necessary, we'll stop somewhere and get you a pair of gloves."

"There aren't any charms to hide it?"

"Not that I know of, but I will look," she said with a small smile. "Now hurry up and start eating, before it starts to get cold."


	14. Chapter 13

Hey, I'm back! (And it's summer break right now, so I just have one Uni class - which is online, so it doesn't really count as a "full" class - and no job at the moment. Updates will hopefully happen at least twice a month for the next few months.) Anyway, new chapter for you. Enjoy! (and feedback is always loved)

Chapter 13

Dinner at the Weasley's house was something like the barbecues that the Dursleys used to have with some of the friendlier neighbors, Harry supposed. He was sitting away from the party, watching as the twins - Fred and George, if he remembered right - tried to slip food that they'd pranked onto the plates of Rose and their little sister, Ginevra. James often countered those pranks with some of his own, and it seemed almost like he was completely sane.

It was all really quite pleasant, but Harry quickly found the gaggle of redheads overwhelming, and had soon retreated from the party. He'd made himself comfortable near the edge of their property, against the trunk of a large oak tree, where the grass was long enough that Kado could move around without being seen.

"_How long are we going to be here?_" Kado asked once he was certain that they were alone.

"_Rose said that we might spend the night here, depending on how much business James and Mr. Weasley have to talk about, but they're not even going to start talking about Ministry information until after we've all eaten dinner_," Harry said. He glanced down at the Donahue family ring, once again wondering how he'd managed to hide it from James and Lily for the past week.

"_Find me a snack, would you? And don't be difficult about it?_" Kado asked. He didn't look like he was planning on moving from his spot - as soon as Harry had made himself comfortable, he'd settled on a flat rock in the sunlight and seemed to be more asleep than awake.

"_Aren't you supposed to be able to do that on your own?_" Harry asked with a smirk. "_Something about those amazing predatory instincts that have been honed through years of evolution that you keep bragging about?_" he asked.

"_Don't make me bite you, brat_," Kado hissed, butting his head affectionately against Harry's hand.

Harry nodded. He focused carefully and wandlessly summoned a mouse from the bushes behind the tree. "_When we go back to the Manor, I'll get you some hamsters, since you like them,_" he said with a grin, dangling the mouse above Kado's head and keeping it out of reach of the snake.

Neither of them noticed that they had company until one of the redheads suddenly dropped onto the ground next to Harry.

In his shock, Harry dropped the mouse. Kado caught it mid-air and immediately went for cover under Harry's discarded robes. Harry looked up at the newcomer, not sure what reaction to expect.

"Interesting snake," was all the older boy said. He sounded friendly enough, so Harry didn't think he was too much of a threat.

Harry frowned. He hadn't been introduced to this Weasley. He looked to be the oldest sibling, and he had a few scars on his face and arms that looked like he'd been badly burned before a medi-witch could heal him. After a moment of silently inspecting the man - and the man doing the same to him - Harry frowned. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Charlie," the man said with an easy grin. He had red hair that was pulled back into a short, messy bun and light brown eyes, and he was wearing Muggle clothes not unlike the clothes that Harry was wearing - jeans and a lightweight hoodie. They were both wearing dark jeans, though Charlie's jeans had holes worn in the knees. He was also wearing a light grey, lightweight hoodie that was dirty. The man looked like he'd been working in a dirty environment, but he didn't smell bad. Rather, he smelled like embers and Harry found it oddly comforting.

The older boy quickly made himself more comfortable, laying back in the grass and lighting a cigarette that he pulled from behind his ear. He set a small bowl of fruit on the ground between himself and Harry. "I got here late, and that's all I managed to grab before I got pulled into the family drama thing. You're welcome to help yourself if you want some. You're Cody, right?"

Harry was silent only briefly before shrugging. "People call me Harry," he said, picking a strawberry out of the bowl and biting into it. At a curious look from Charlie, he smiled slightly. "My middle name is Harrison," he said.

Charlie nodded and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, plucking a raspberry from his bowl and eating it. "What kind of snake is he?" he asked, motioning at Harry's robe.

"You're not going to tell anyone I brought Kado with me?" Harry asked curiously, deliberately ignoring Charlie's question.

Charlie shook his head. "I know very well what it's like to have a pet that people don't like seeing," he said with another grin. "And my family and I have sort of agreed to disagree on our perspectives about snakes."

"You don't like snakes?"

"Oh I like them just fine. But Mum and Ginny are terrified of snakes, and Dad, Percy and Ron are all convinced that the appearance of a snake means that something evil is going to happen," he said. He shrugged, looking like he was about to say something before falling silent.

"But not you?" Harry asked after a short, almost hesitant pause.

"Working with dragons tends to give you a decent sense of respect with all reptiles, snakes included," he said.

Harry's eyes widened almost comically. "You work with dragons?" he asked.

Charlie nodded. "There's a reserve in Romania with about a dozen of us. We've been raising orphaned and endangered dragons and training some of them to be ridden," he said. He grinned again and pulled up the right sleeve of his hoodie, revealing a long, jagged scar that still looked painful. "Once a baby dragon does this to you while you're playing, it tends to make pretty much any other reptile seem almost inconsequential, even if they are venomous."

"What kind of dragon?" he asked.

"She's a Hebridean Black. The last of a clutch smuggled out of a small Scottish forest before the Muggles plowed the forest down," Charlie said. "Now, what kind of snake do you have?" he asked.

"He's a Boelen's Python," Harry said. He lifted up his discarded robe and picked up Kado, careful not to touch the small lump of recently swallowed mouse. "He's from a rainforest in New Zealand," he said.

Kado looked between Harry and Charlie, hissing a question before settling himself on Harry's lap and hissing irritably up at Harry. "_I would have been perfectly able to reveal myself without your help, brat_," he hissed irritably.

Harry smirked down at the snake as Kado rested his head on his knee. "This is Kado," he said, looking up at Charlie.

"Not bad, kid," Charlie said with an easy smile. He didn't try to touch Kado, but he looked at the snake with a clearly interested look on his face. "Now, do you want to see my baby girl?" he asked.

"Just like that?" Harry asked. "Really?"

Charlie only hesitated for a brief moment before standing, the bowl of fruit forgotten on the ground in front of him. "Sure. You can even bring Kado, if you'd like," he said.

"And they won't miss you?" Harry asked, motioning at the mix of the Weasleys and Potters, who hadn't noticed Charlie's appearance.

"They'll be too wrapped up in cooking the dinner and the pranking war that'll probably start when Remus and his dog show up," he said. "And we don't have to stay too long, if you don't want."

"Are you kidding? Anywhere's better than here," Harry said, grinning. He picked Kado up and the snake wrapped himself loosely around Harry's neck while Harry stood up and pulled his robes back on. "_Hold on Kado. I think we're going to travel_," he hissed quietly, forgetting for a moment that Charlie was there.

Charlie laughed quietly. "No wonder you've got a snake," he said. "There's something to be said for that talent, but be careful who's around," he said. At Harry's confused look, he pointed to Kado. "Parseltongue is something that's been declared a Dark talent, and there are people who'll try and hurt you if they find out that you've got the gift," he said. "I don't know if it's changed in Britain or not, but there's supposedly only one man who's known to speak the snake language, and any connection to him is dangerous, especially for a kid your age," he said.

Harry nodded. "Right, sorry," he said. "Can we still see the dragons?"

Charlie grinned. "Of course," he said, motioning for Harry to stand close. "Now, when we get there, you're going to be new, and we let some of the smaller, tamer dragons have something of free reign on the reserve."

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked.

"Have you ever had fifteen or so big dogs come at you at the same time?" he asked.

Harry shook his head.

"This is kind of like that, but only if you add in four inch claws, sharp teeth, and potential accidental burns," he said. "I'll be able to take most of the hit, but like I said, you're new, and they almost always all want to play with the new kid at the same time," he said. He grinned again when Harry stepped close. "Kado won't be hurt, though, I can promise you that," he said.

"Alright," Harry said.

Charlie laughed, pulling the younger boy into a tight hug and Apparating away with a muffled pop.

...

They reappeared seconds later in the glen of a small forest, and Harry followed Charlie out, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

"Duck," Charlie said, pulling Harry to the ground just as a short burst of fire came from their left.

"What the hell was that?" Harry asked hysterically, pressing himself against Charlie's back in an attempt to escape the flames.

"That was one of our fifteen big dogs," Charlie said, laughing quietly as he kept Harry close and pulled the boy out of the forest.

Harry kept his mouth shut and tried to calm down as he looked around. There were a number of small dragons wandering around - if a dragon the size of a pony could be called small, he supposed - and about ten men also walking around. Some of them were walking with dragons, and a few of them were walking toward a small valley. "Where is this place?" he asked as he calmed down.

"Romania," Charlie said, looking down at Harry and grinning. "You're doing a good job of blending in so far," he said.

"Thanks, I think," Harry said, reaching a hand up and resting it on Kado's head. "When does this ambush come?" he asked.

"As soon as they realize that it's more than just me," Charlie said. "Stay close and we might be able to see Sheena before you get the official welcome to the reserve," he said.

Harry nodded and followed Charlie into the valley. There were a few buildings that looked like barracks, and then there was a small stable with horses and another, larger stable that seemed to be empty. The main thing that had Harry's attention, though, were the large dragons he'd just noticed that were flying between the nearby mountains, as well as a few, much larger dragons wandering in the valley, all four of them walking with men and women. "This place is amazing," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

Charlie nodded, looking down at Harry with a grin. "One of my favorite places in the world, and I get to work here, too," he said, leading Harry into the larger of the stables and to a large stall at the far end. "Wait here," he said, stopping just outside of the stall door and looking over at Harry. "I'll bring her out here, since she's not that well behaved when meeting new people in small spaces," he said. "That's true for most dragons, by the way," he added.

"I'll make a note of that," Harry said quietly, not moving from his spot.

About five minutes later, Charlie walked out of the stall, followed closely by a black dragon. The creature looked to be about the size of the lions that Dudley loved to see at the zoo, and it was an iridescent black color that wasn't unlike Kado's coloring. The dragon's scales seemed similar to Kado's as well, but they seemed sharper and somehow more dangerous than the snake's scales.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked when he noticed Harry frowning at the dragon.

"She looks like Kado, kind of," Harry said. "It's just, I didn't think that a dragon would look like Kado," he said, looking up at Charlie.

He shrugged. "There are over five thousand known dragon species around the world," he said. "Eventually you just learn to accept any coincidences and move on," he added.

Harry was silent for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense, I guess," he said as the dragon started sniffing in his direction and took a few hesitant steps toward him. Harry looked up at Charlie, who grinned.

"It's going well," Charlie said. "Just don't make any sudden movements. Hold out your hand with your palm face up," he said.

"Why?"

"You won't get hurt, don't worry," Charlie said, motioning for Harry to do as he told. "It's how she'll learn who you are and that you're not a threat to her in any way."

After only a brief moment of hesitation, Harry did as told. He swallowed his fear as best he could and held a visibly trembling hand out to the young dragon. He watched through wide, terrified eyes as the dragon's head came up to sniff at Harry's hands.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour but was in reality just a few seconds, the dragon made a noise that sounded like a happy yip and butted her head against Harry's hand, purring loudly.

"She purrs?" he asked, laughing quietly when the dragon got up on her back feet and rubbed her face against Harry's, not unlike a large cat.

"Of course she purrs," a man said with a laugh as he walked up to them. "Everyone knows that dragons are just kittens with larger claws," he said, and Harry picked up on an odd accent that he'd never heard before.

Charlie grinned. "Henrik," he said with a grin. "I thought you took leave for the rest of the month," he said.

The man shrugged. "I've told you about my relationship with my family before," he said. "My brothers started drinking again, and my father joined in on it, so I got out before things got too bad." He grinned, looking down at the dragon, which had tackled Harry to the ground. Kado had come out from his hiding spot and he and the dragon were regarding each other almost warily. "I thought your brothers didn't really care about your job?" he asked.

"This is my cousin, actually," Charlie said, bodily picking up the dragon when she took a step back, raising a paw and patting at Kado almost experimentally. "Enough, Sheena," he said when the dragon squirmed from his hold and tried to poke Kado again. "Let's go outside and we can talk while Sheena runs around," he said.

Henrik offered Harry a hand, which he took without hesitation, and the man quickly helped Harry to his feet. "Which cousin would that be?" he asked, eyeing Harry with a vaguely amused but still suspicious expression.

"Ease up on the kid. You don't even know his name yet," Charlie said as they all started walking out of the stables. He glanced over at Sheena and frowned when he noticed that she was still watching Kado, and the snake was watching her as well. He hummed quietly and took hold of one of her horns, pulling her attention onto him. "Behave yourself," he said, glaring at the dragon when she hissed lightly at him.

Kado hissed amusedly and started moving down Harry's arm.

Harry grabbed hold of Kado's neck, stopping the snake from moving any further. "_Be nice_," he hissed under his breath before looking up at Charlie. "Is she going to attack Kado?"

"She's never seen a snake before," Charlie said with a shrug. "And you're new, so she might think Kado's part of your body, like another arm or something," he said. "It's not malicious or anything, but her curiosity might get out of hand," he added. "I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry."

Harry nodded.

"So," Henrik said. "Your cousin?"

"I'm Harry," he said, eyeing the man. He was about the same height as Charlie, who was about six feet, and both of them were muscular and scarred from their work. Where Charlie had red hair and brown eyes, though, Henrik had dirty blonde hair and pale blue, almost white eyes. If it weren't for the large, jagged scar running from just below the man's left ear to the top of his collarbone, Harry might have suspected that he was somehow related to Draco and Lucius.

"Harry, this is Henrik Dahl," Charlie said. "He's one of the experts when it comes to tending to abandoned eggs," he said. "Harry's technically my half-cousin, removed by about four families, so it's just easier for us to refer to each other as cousins," he said.

Harry frowned slightly. He'd have to ask Charlie if that was true once they made it back to the Burrow, or whatever James had called the Weasley house.

"Really?" Henrik asked before shrugging. "Either way, it's nice to see that you've got someone to show around here. I was starting to think that you'd be joining me in the declared orphan club," he said. "Nice to meet you, Harry," he said with a grin down at him.

"You too," Harry said.

"Any chance you're looking to branch out from snakes?" Henrik asked.

Charlie laughed quietly. "He's not even in Hogwarts yet, Henrik. Stop thinking about trying to bring him into the fold," he said.

Henrik shrugged again and grinned. "Can you really blame me?" he asked. "The kid's obviously good with animals, and you're the kind of person who's not going to risk our safety by bringing a dumbass onto the reserve."

"You're in danger here?" Harry asked curiously, watching Henrik.

The man nodded. "No matter how dangerous dragons are, the skill for working with dragons without being killed in the process is something that not everyone has, and since most high-ranking people in governments around the world and other powerful people know that the best of us have bonded with our dragons and can ride them in battle, there's a constant threat against our reserve," he said.

"Why?"

"There's an innate level of power that just comes with the knowledge that someone's got the dragon riders as allies," Henrik said. "And that's even before we show up in person," he said with a smirk.

Harry looked over at Sheena, who growled happily and butted her head against Charlie's leg. "I guess I can understand that, seeing you two together," he said.

Charlie laughed quietly, not saying anything as he opened the stable doors and watched as Sheena ran out, heading for a small group of more small dragons.

"Any idea what you want to do when you grow up?" Henrik asked.

Harry shook his head. "James wants me to be an Auror, and I think Lily and Remus do too," he said.

"Fascinating," Henrik said. "But what about you?"

Harry shrugged, clearly not sure what to say. "I haven't really thought about it yet," he said. "I'm still only eleven," he added.

The blond man nodded, smirking. "Even still," he said. "Charlie's got a good eye for talent, so if you're interested and you don't fuck up too immensely, you'll be welcome to see if you're able to handle the dragons once you graduate," he said.

"Don't swear around the kid, Henrik," Charlie said with no real venom in his voice. "He's young and impressionable and all that."

Henrik laughed. He opened his mouth to say something else when an older man near the barracks yelled out his name, sounding furious. "Shit," he said, ducking behind Charlie and bring to hide from the man who was still yelling curses and looking around.

"What'd you do this time?" Charlie asked.

"I may have let one of the prey dogs loose in Derek's office and then let Rufus in while Derek wasn't in there. Just to make sure that Derek's not getting too lazy around here," Henrik said with a grin. He looked over at Harry and ruffled the boy's hair playfully. "Nice meeting you, little cousin," he said before sprinting back into the stables, looking behind himself to make sure that he wasn't being chased.

"Rufus?" Harry asked curiously, looking up at Charlie.

He grinned and pointed over to the group of dragons that Sheena had recently joined. "Behind that group. The dark red dragon on the roof of the barracks," he said.

Harry's jaw dropped. The dragon was easily twice as big as Sheena, and it looked almost amused as the man yelling made his way toward it. "That's Rufus?" he asked as Sheena came bounding back over to them, this time tackling Harry to the ground and butting her head against Harry's chin, purring.

Charlie nodded, grinning. "Henrik's got a way with the more difficult dragons, but he tends to give them some of the most ridiculous names," he said. "So far it's been Rufus, Fido, Spike, and Simon," he said.

"No Fluffy?" Harry asked as he shoved Sheena off of him and sat up a bit.

At that, Charlie laughed aloud. "Not yet, but give it some time and I'm sure he'll come up with it," he said. Something caught his attention and he looked up, laughing again. "Brace yourself, kid," he said. "The welcome party is coming."

Harry paled slightly and scrambled back as quickly as he could when he realized what Charlie was talking about. He wasn't fast enough, and he quickly found himself tackled by six other dragons about the same size as Sheena. He wasn't hurt, though, as the dragons all sniffed at him and soon started purring and butting their heads against Harry's chest.

More than a few of them hissed in shock when Kado came out from under the folds of Harry's robes and hissed at them. He wasn't prepared to strike, Harry noticed, but he was in a defensive position and warning the dragons not to harm Harry.

"_Can you understand them_?" Harry asked as he started petting a few of the dragons.

"_We have a similar blood ancestor,_" Kado said quietly. He hissed irritably at one of the smallest of the dragons, which was still about the size of a mountain lion, when it pawed experimentally at Kado's body. "_Do not touch me with your claws,_" he hissed before tightening himself a bit around Harry's neck. "_If you're interested in trying to communicate with them, it shouldn't be too different from speaking with me_," he said.

Harry nodded but didn't try it. Instead, he found himself trying to get to his feet again as one of the dragons grabbed the hood of his robe in it's mouth and started to pull him backward. "Charlie?" he asked, more than slightly nervous, and looked around for the man.

He was standing just out of reach, but Harry was being pulled toward him. "Sheena's got you," Charlie said as the dragon let go of Harry's hood. He helped Harry to his feet and grinned as the dragons continued to approach them. He grinned down at Harry when a pale green dragon got onto its back haunches and butted his head against Harry's chest, purring loudly. "That would be Mahalik," he said with a smile. "From South Africa," he said.

Harry said nothing for a moment, focusing instead on rubbing a patch of scales on Mahalik's head, between his horns. The dragon seemed to appreciate it, purring loudly. Harry smiled. He realized that, if he focused, he could make out a few words that the dragon was saying, but he wasn't speaking loudly enough for Harry to hear it clearly.

A few minutes later, someone called from the valley and Mahalik stepped away from Harry, running toward the man.

Charlie looked down at Harry, grinning. "What do you think?" he asked.

"Almost as cool as Kado," Harry said quietly. He looked down at his arm and frowned when he noticed a shallow gash running the length of his forearm. "I don't remember getting cut," he said.

"It happens when they all come at you at once. Hold still for a minute and I'll heal it for you," Charlie said. He gently took hold of Harry's arm and murmured a phrase in a foreign language.

Harry watched, fascinated, as his flesh wound itself back together and the wound was healed, leaving behind a paper-thin scar that was barely noticeable. He hesitated for a moment before looking back up at Charlie. "Thank you for showing me this place," he said, grinning. "It's amazing!"

Charlie returned the grin, not saying anything. "I'm glad you liked it," he said. "Now, let's get you back to the Burrow before anyone notices that you're missing," he said. "Get close," he added, opening his arms for Harry.

Harry nodded and gently tapped Kado's head to let him know that they were traveling again. He stepped into the embrace and closed his eyes.

Seconds later, they disappeared from the valley with a pop.

...

They reappeared near the oak tree just as the rest of the Weasleys all started to sit around the large picnic tables that were set up in their backyard.

"Just in time, then," Charlie said as he stepped away from Harry and watched as the younger man made sure that Kado was completely covered by the folds of his robes. "You've bonded with him, haven't you?" he asked, looking like he'd asked the question almost accidentally.

"What do you mean, bonded?" Harry asked. "He's my friend and my pet."

Charlie nodded. "The bond between rider and dragon often become something similar to a bond between brothers," he said. "It seems to me that you're well on your way to forming such a bond with that snake of yours," he said, nodding in Kado's general direction.

"Is there something significant about that?" Harry asked. "Other than its strength?"

Charlie laughed quietly. "That's something you best discover on your own," he said. "As it grows, though, you'll know what's significant about it," he said. "And make sure you take special care as to who sees the strength of the bond," Charlie murmured quietly as they started walking toward the tables.

One of the twins noticed their approach and grinned. He got up from his seat and ran over to them.

Harry paused hiding slightly behind Charlie. He frowned when he noticed that the older boy stiffen when he realized he was being approached. All amusement left his expression and he glanced down at Harry, offering the boy a small smile when he noticed Harry's poorly concealed confusion.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked quietly.

He nodded slightly. "Don't worry about it, kid," he said, offering Harry a light, tense smirk.

"Charlie!" the twin said, stopping just a few feet. It was clear that he wanted to reach out and hug his brother, but it was obvious that Charlie wouldn't have it. "Percy said you weren't coming," he said.

"I managed to find a few spare hours," Charlie said with a small, distant smile. "What are you and Fred up to now?" he asked.

"You're not still mad at us, are you?" the twin - this one was George, Harry surmised - asked.

Charlie was silent as he kept walking toward the tables.

"It was one little prank, Charlie!" George said, glancing down at Harry almost curiously before turning his attention back to Charlie. "You know we didn't mean any harm by it, don't you?" he asked.

At that, Charlie glared at the twin. "You killed one of my kits," he snapped. "You knew the dragon was sick and you decided to try and prank her anyway!" he snapped.

George pouted. "We didn't mean to hurt it," he said.

"And yet, you did," Charlie said as they made it to the tables.

Harry noticed Remus sitting at the far end of one of the tables and, with one last glance up at Charlie, he headed over at sat next to the werewolf, doing his best to ignore the argument that was starting between Charlie and the twins, as Fred got up to defend George.

"Harrison," Remus said, offering Harry a small, hesitant smile.

"Did you forget the mutt?" Harry asked when he noticed that the black dog wasn't anywhere near Remus.

"He's over with James and Rose," Remus said. "I see you didn't forget your snake," he said.

"What of it?" Harry asked, immediately getting defensive. He was only barely able to stop himself from putting a hand on Kado's head to shield him from Remus.

Remus offered him a tired smile. "I meant no offense, Harrison," he said quietly. He bit back a yawn, not saying anything for a moment.

Harry frowned. "How was the full moon?" he asked curiously.

"Exhausting, as usual," he said. "Fortunately Severus is still willing to provide me with a potion that makes it relatively painless," he said. "Does this mean that you've decided to make nice with me?" he asked with a small smile.

Harry shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure I hate you anymore, if that'll make you feel better," he said.

Remus paused for a moment, clearly thinking it over. "Not as much as I'd hoped," he said. "But I'll think of it as a good starting point."

Someone cleared their throat nearby and both Harry and Remus looked over at Lily. She offered them a small smile before motioning at the food on the table. "Molly's taken Charlie and the twins inside, but this isn't too uncommon, when Charlie actually comes to these dinners," she said gently. "Go ahead and start eating."

Harry frowned slightly, making no move to do as told until he noticed that the rest of the Weasleys, James and Rose were already eating. He looked over at Remus, who'd started to absently pick at the chicken leg on his plate.

When he realized that Harry was watching him, though, he looked over at Harry and shrugged. "I'll let you know if you pick up any hexed food," he said.

Harry inclined his head a bit but didn't say anything, instead reaching for one of the chicken legs on the platter in front of him and absently listening to the conversations taking place around him.


	15. Chapter 14

Surprise! Happy update! (and pretend there's a disclaimer here)

First things first: I'm really sorry about the lack of updating in this for almost two months. It wasn't my intention to leave things hanging this long, but I got bitten by a few different plot bunnies and I had to get some things sorted out before I could finish this chapter. But the plot bunnies have since been sorted out, and I will hopefully be able to continue this story without another unintentional two-month break between updates.

Other than that, thank you all so much for hanging on!

Enjoy! (and feedback is always loved)

Chapter 14

The remainder of his summer had continued in a similar, yet still dull manner.

Harry quickly learned that having dinner with the Weasley family was a regular thing, and the families switched locations between the Burrow and Potter Manor so as not to put too much of a burden on one house or the other. He hadn't warmed up to any of the Weasleys, other than Charlie, who hadn't come to many more of the dinners. Since he'd met him, Harry had only seen Charlie three times, but he'd sent letters to make up for his absences. Soon enough, Charlie became one of his closest friends, among Beth and Draco.

James' behavior toward Harry hadn't changed much, and Harry began to notice that Lily and Rose seemed to accept the man's drastic mood swings as part of every day life. Beth wasn't as blasé about it, though. She'd mentioned to Harry a few times that if James didn't try to reign in his anger, he was in danger of losing control completely, and she was worried that Harry would receive most of the man's anger if that happened. After she'd told him that, Lily had asked her not to come back until the next summer.

In spite of the tension around them, though, Kado seemed to be the most relaxed among the group. After Rose threw a rather spectacular tantrum because Harry didn't want to join her in one of her dancing lessons, the python decided that the girl needed to be punished. He'd resorted to sneaking into her rooms and hunting her rabbits. Since Rose always had at least six of them running around and they were always on the small side, Kado was never faced with a shortage of prey, and every time he caught and ate a rabbit, he'd adopt a smug attitude for the next few hours.

It was during one of those episodes that Harry found Kado. He was on the couch on the second floor of Harry's room, lying half-asleep in a patch of sunlight, when Harry made to plop down onto the couch next to him. "_Sit on me, boy, and I'll spit up my latest rabbit in your lap_," he hissed.

Harry just grinned and sat down. Once he was situated, he reached over and pulled all three and a half feet of Kado into his lap. "_Are you sure you should be eating so many of Rose's rabbits?_" he asked, his grin turning cheeky. "_You're getting kind of fat, I think_," he said, gently poking the lump in Kado that had once been a live rabbit.

Kado scoffed. "_I'll have you know that I am still a young snake and it is only natural for me to grow. And there isn't an ounce of fat on me. It's all muscle from hunting her ridiculous little rabbits_," he hissed, moving around a bit on Harry's lap to get comfortable again. "_And when I am fully grown, I will be at least eight feet and able to swallow you whole if you continue to make jokes about my size_," he added.

"_My apologies_," Harry drawled unapologetically, reaching for the book he'd brought with him. He didn't get a chance to start reading it, though.

"Harry! Harry, are you in here? Mum says that she wants to take us shopping for new clothes before we go to Hogwarts," Rose said as she walked inside and started looking around.

Harry, watching from his spot in the loft as she inspected his room, took an inordinate amount of pleasure in the frightened look on her face when she saw the paintings of the snakes. She shrieked when the green python moved from it's hiding spot and hissed at her, and that had both Harry and Kado laughing.

"It's not funny, Harry!" she yelled, stomping her foot and glaring up at him. "Your room is creepy and Mum promised that we'd even be able to pick out an Owl for you so that you can get mail from Mum and Dad," she said. "Your worm isn't allowed to come with us, and if I find it in my room again, I swear I'm going to kill it!"

"_I'd really like to see her try to kill me, actually_," Kado snarked as Harry got up and reached for his jacket. "_Don't get into too much trouble_," he said, watching Harry pull on the jacket and head down to meet Rose.

She grinned at him. "Good," she said, taking hold of Harry's hand and pulling him out of the room. As soon as they left his room, she started going on and on about the owls that her friends had, and which owls he should avoid picking out. He'd tuned her out almost right away, only listening in when he saw Lily walking toward him and Rose.

"Are you two ready to go?" Lily asked, smiling at the sight of their hands intertwined.

"Yep. I told Harry that he should get a Snow Owl like mine," Rose said brightly. "Or a Horned Owl, and it would eat his worm."

At that, Harry scowled and jerked his hand out of Rose's hold. "Kado's not a worm. He's a snake, and I don't want an owl if it's going to go after him," he snapped. "Do I have to go?" he asked.

"I want to make sure that you've got enough clothing to last you the year. You're leaving the day after tomorrow, after all," Lily said, sending an almost warning glance to Rose. "I told you to behave yourself. You need to start acting like a young lady of the Potter name, especially with your brother," she said.

Harry smirked at Rose as she flushed a bright red but said nothing.

"Now, both of you come here and stand still," Lily said. Once both children had done as instructed, she rested a hand on each of their shoulders and Apparated the three of them off to Diagon Alley.

...

Almost six hours later, the three of them returned from Diagon Alley. Lily and Rose were excited and hadn't stopped talking about the outfits they'd bought earlier, but Harry was completely exhausted from the trip. Lily had seemed to accept his not wanting an owl without too much of a discussion, but it was entirely likely that she'd made up for the lack of an owl by buying more clothing. His pockets were all filled with bags of shrunken clothing, as Lily had seen fit to buy him a completely new wardrobe - completely ignoring the clothing that she and James had bought him since he'd come to live with them.

Harry eyed his mother and sister carefully, making sure that he wasn't being watched too carefully.

Fortunately, it seemed like the two of them were completely involved in their conversation, and he was able to make a quick escape back to his room. To ensure that his need to be left alone was honored, he locked the door and set a few locking charms on it. It wouldn't stop anyone, but it would certainly slow them down, and the charms being disabled would give him fair warning of company.

As he'd half expected, Kado was still on the couch in the loft. What Harry hadn't expected, though, was for his snake to be conversing with the portrait of the basilisk. He didn't pay too much attention to the conversation as he headed into his closet and unpacked his new clothing. By the time he'd sorted everything out, the wardrobe was completely filled with more clothing than he thought he'd ever need. At the very least, he knew he'd never need to wear the same item of clothing more than once. He left the closet, scowling slightly about the fact that he now had over two dozen pairs of shoes, and at least six of them looked exactly the same to him.

"_Harrison,_" the basilisk hissed happily when she saw him. She seemed oddly pleased, given that she hadn't talked with him all that much.

"_Is there something you need from me_?" Harry asked, dropping back onto the couch next to Kado.

"_An owl delivered a package for you and your house elf brought it up here for safekeeping_," Kado said.

The basilisk shifted a bit, her eyes flashing red momentarily.

Harry scowled and looked away from the portrait. There shouldn't be enough residual magic in the painting for the basilisk's direct gaze to do much harm, but he was taking no chances. The few times James had been in his room, he'd promised to burn all three of Harry's snake portraits and replace them with something more... traditional for the Potter family.

"_You can meet my gaze without fear of being harmed, Harrison. No snake can lie to a Speaker, and all Speakers are immune to the powers of my kind,_" she said in what Harry assumed was meant to be a soothing tone. It worked, and she knew it. "_Now, for some reason, this package is singing to us. Kado and I can both feel our skin tingling from magic that doesn't belong to you_."

That had Harry confused. "_My magic affects you_?" he asked.

Kado nodded. "_It's how we can tell that you're a Speaker_," he said. "_It's similar to a scent, in that each Speaker has a different magic. Your magic feels like the morning sun on a hot summer day, and the package has the same kind of magic, only it feels more like the embers of a growing fire,_" he said.

Harry didn't say anything for a long moment, absorbing that information. He wasn't sure how he'd use it yet, but it was interesting, to say the least. Finally, his gaze turned to the aforementioned package, which was resting on the armchair that Beth had conjured a few months ago.

It wasn't that impressive in size as far as packages went, he supposed. It was completely and utterly unremarkable. And that had him slightly concerned. The only person he knew who would be sending him a package would be the Weasley girl, who had for some reason during the last inter-family dinner decided that they were getting married when they were old enough. There was no indication as to who could have sent it, but there was a sloppily-scribbled note from Topsy promising that there weren't any hexes or jinxes attached to the package or what was inside.

"_Don't just stare at it, Harrison_," the basilisk said, quickly growing impatient with Harry's lack of action. "_I am very interested in learning why you've got a strange Speaker sending you packages._"

"_So am I,_" Harry said quietly. Despite Topsy's promise that there wasn't anything attached to the package or its contents, he didn't want to risk using any more magic than was absolutely necessary until he knew what was inside it. He looked around for his pocketknife, finally plucking it off the banister with a smirk.

"_Finding one tiny little knife is nothing to get smug about_," Kado said, though he was genuinely amused and not even trying to hide it.

"_No one asked for your opinion on the matter, rabbit-chaser_," Harry said as he slit the top of the package open.

Nothing happened.

Harry carefully pulled the top open, holding his breath in anticipation.

Still, nothing happened.

After a moment, he looked into the box and found two books. They looked relatively normal, if more than a bit old. Both covers were made of dark leather, and the titles were embossed and printed in a gold material that had been worn away from years of use. He couldn't read either title clearly, and he had an odd suspicion that one of the books wasn't even written in English.

"_Well, what is it?_" Kado asked.

"_Just two books,_" Harry said, picking up the one that didn't seem quite as old. From what he could read of the title, it wasn't written in English. He frowned when he looked back in the box. Underneath the book he'd just picked up was a dark green fabric that was wrapped around something. He took out the other book and set them both on the couch next to Kado before going back to look at the fabric.

It was a silky material, and when he picked it up to see what was underneath, he found that it was warm to the touch. When he pulled the entire thing out, Harry was surprised to find that it was big enough that he could use it as a blanket, if he were so inclined. It had been covering up a letter, a thin silver chain necklace, and a large, dark gold feather.

"_That's more like it_," the basilisk hissed, clearly satisfied.

As he picked up the feather, he found himself absently wondering what to call the basilisk. Since he was keeping her, she would need a name of some kind if she was going to continue to be this talkative. "_I think this is a Gryphon feather_," he said, twirling it between his fingers. In the light, it glinted black, and Harry was able to guess that it was from a Caol Gryphon. "_That doesn't make any sense, though_," he muttered to himself. "_The last known Caol was seen almost two hundred years ago, in the collection of a Brazilian wizard. It was big news when she announced that the Gryphon had died from some kind of complications_," he said, glancing up at the basilisk. "_How do full grown basilisks avoid being hunted_?" he asked.

She shifted a bit, moving into the sunlight that was shining on the top half of her painting. "_I am the wrong serpent to ask, Harrison. I spent my short life in a collection as well, but my keeper wasn't particularly kind to me when he realized that I was responsible for reducing his audience size mid-show_," she said. "_He drugged my food to suppress most of my natural instincts after that, so I was left essentially completely vulnerable to his whims. He killed me before I reached two decades, when I got too big for him to easily transport from place to place._"

Not sure what to say, Harry just stayed silent for a moment, returning his gaze to the feather in his hands. If it really was from a Caol Gryphon, he'd have to make sure that no one else could get their hands on it. There were people who had killed to get their hands on it just to claim that they possessed a feather, to say nothing of the magical properties that the feathers supposedly possessed. The feather seemed to warm up a bit in his hand and he smiled a bit before carefully setting it down on top of the silky material.

He then turned his focus to the silver chain. For as invaluable as the feather seemed to be, the chain necklace seemed to be the exact opposite. There was no pendant on it, and there was nothing at all special about it. Still, Harry was careful as he set the chain next to the feather.

"_You know, I hope this Speaker remains anonymous,_" the basilisk said quietly. "_This is by far the most interesting thing that has happened around me in quite some time_."

Harry grinned up at her. "_You are aware that I'm leaving for Hogwarts in two days, and if this Speaker has any intention of contacting me again, he'll probably send me letters while I'm at school_," he said. "_You wouldn't be able to find out if he's sent another letter until our break for Yule_."

She huffed, as much as a snake could. "_Was there really a need for you to spoil my fun so quickly_?" she asked.

Harry didn't say anything, choosing to momentarily ignore her in favor of opening the letter. There wasn't any real introduction to the letter, but it was written in a sort of non-English that Harry was easily able to understand. The writing itself was almost calligraphic, and the ink was dark green.

It read as follows:

Word has reached me that the Potters have brought their son back from the Muggles they thought fit to leave him with. I have also learned that the same boy has recently been named Lord to the Donahue family - a family which is not politically powerful but still has a great deal of influence in matters that are equally as important as wizard politics.

Cody Harrison Donahue Potter, though I have heard that you prefer to go by your middle name.

I trust that if your hands have not been lit on fire by now, you are that child.

You, young Harrison, have not yet met me in person, though you know a kinsman of mine who thinks highly of you. Despite the fact that we are still strangers to each other, I thought it necessary to contact you before you left for your first year of schooling in Hogwarts.

There are rumors circulating that you have been blessed by the Fae. I admit that I am a curious man by nature, and this letter itself is a test. If you are able to read it and understand what it says, it is proof that you have indeed been blessed. I suspect you don't know all that much about the Fae, which is entirely understandable. They are a secretive people, and because of that, very little of the truth is known about them to those who are not of Fae blood.

There are other, less interesting rumors circulating about you, and while I have been interested in your sudden reappearance in our world, I have not been as interested in the various other rumors. I will admit, though, that the two concerning your betrothal - one to an Italian boy and one to the current youngest of the Weasley family - are more than slightly disconcerting, given your age and your family's reputation.

Mind, it is not my intention to offend you with this statement.

Over the past few generations, the Potter family name has become less and less respected. If the Italian proposal is true, it is commendable. It is rare for someone as young as you are to come back to this world, into a family such as yours, and find yourself almost immediately in the favor of a Dark-oriented, Pureblood family. Particularly since the Potters are a famously Light-oriented family.

The betrothal to the youngest Weasley sounds more like what your family would consider an appropriate course of action. However, my kinsman believes that you are not only incompatible with the Weasley chit, but that the two of you are incompatible in more complex ways.

That being said, I think I will have high expectations for you in the future, young Lord Donahue.

Everything in the box with this letter is a gift, of sorts. I expect you to take proper care of each gift, though. None of these items was chosen trivially, and each is worth a great deal to me. I have taken a few items from my personal belongings and entrusted them to you. While you are free to do whatever you wish with these gifts, I would request that you not share them with the public. It is not my intention to make anything clear to the public by contacting you. In fact, I deliberately chose the more discreet channels to send this to you. (When we do finally meet in person, I will explain my reasoning with you. However, as I doubt we will meet for a number of years yet, I do not want you dwelling on that. Focus on your studies instead.)

The first of the gifts is a book about the Fae. There is no previously unknown information in the book, but the all the information is important, especially for someone who is supposedly somehow connected to the Fae. The book is almost three hundred years old, and while there are a number of preservation charms woven into it, I would ask that you be careful with it. It remains one of my favorite books and I have no doubts that you will find it as valuable as I do.

The second book is another of test of mine, though this one has no connection whatsoever to any of the rumors circulating about you. I am not entirely sure that you'll be able to understand it, but my kinsman suggested a test. The book belonged to an ancestor of mine, and I already know everything that it has to offer. This book is something that I must ask you keep to yourself. It is very old, and it addresses a few topics that your father would disapprove of, to say the least. I will not fault you at all if you are unable to understand it. Either way, I would hope that you treasure the book as I do.

The green blanket is made of an East Asian spider's silk. To put it frankly, there is no purpose in giving you the blanket other than because I was told that green is a color that flatters you. There are a few warming charms sewn into it, but nothing more than that.

I crafted the chain necklace myself. My kinsman mentioned that you have some people who are already eager to become your enemy, so I took an opportunity to create something for you that would keep you safe, at least from the more rudimentary attacks. (You are currently only eleven years old and I expect the adults in your life will be competent enough to protect you from any other attacks. If that is not the case, though, and if someone is brazen enough to come after you even with the adult supervision, you have my word that they will not live to regret this. I will extend to you my apologies if that sentiment frightens you, but I have heard only good things about you and I will ensure that you come to no harm, particularly while you are too young to know properly how to defend yourself.)

There are two safeguards that are woven into the chain to keep you safe. First, if you use any sort of defensive spell (either with a wand or without), the chain will grow a bit cold, and a shield spell will be erected around yourself. The second precaution is only activated in the even that you are injured, the spell may grow warm enough to burn you slightly, but I assure you that it will not harm you. The warming is the indication that the healing spell is working. It is relatively simple, but it is enough to burn out any infections and it will slow any internal bleeding. The charm is not strong enough to heal any serious wounds, but it will do enough to ensure that you are able to seek out the assistance of a Mediwitch.

It is, of course, your choice whether or not to wear the chain. Either way, you have my word that it's sole purpose is to protect you should you find yourself the victim of an attack.

And finally, as I suspect you might have guessed, the feather does indeed belong to a Caol Gryphon. It comes from my private collection. My kinsman informed me that you have an appreciation for Gryphon feathers and I hope this feather meets with your approval. If you are as aware of the potential power of the feathers from this species, then you will find that this is feather possesses a stronger wild magic than would feathers from other species. Use it however you see fit, but do try to be careful with it.

You strike me as a smart child, young Harrison. I expect nothing but the best from you.

I may write you again, and until I do, stay in good health and out of trouble.

Keep safe, young Speaker. (Fear not. I will protect your secrets with the same vigor that I protect my own.)

..

"_What does it say_?" the basilisk asked.

Harry looked up at her. "_You're not going to leave me alone unless I tell you everything, are you_?"

"_If you haven't figured out that I don't like being left in the dark about the most interesting secrets after you've had me guarding your library for this long, you aren't as smart as I gave you credit for_," she said, smirking as much as she was able.

"_It's all a gift from someone, but he didn't say who he was. He knows I'm a Speaker, I think,_" Harry sat down on the couch next to Kado, who was inspecting the feather and the silver chain. "_Is something wrong_?" he asked.

"_Not at all_," Kado said. "_The spells on it make the chain smell almost pleasant,_" he added.

Harry smiled slightly but picked up the chain. Just as before, nothing seemed odd about it.

"_Go on_," the basilisk said. "_Put it on._"

He hesitated for a moment before nodding. He slipped it on and fastened it, still surprised when nothing happened.

"_Well_?" Kado asked.

"_Nothing. It just feels like a necklace_," he said, reaching up to touch it. Nothing happened, so he relaxed. There was no reason for him to be paranoid about a piece of jewelry, he supposed.

"_Silver is a good color for you, at least_," the basilisk said.

Harry smiled up at her and opened his mouth to say something else when he heard someone knocking on his bedroom door. He closed his mouth again. "Just a minute!" he called, quickly putting everything back into the box and setting it on the floor next to the couch in a half-hearted attempt to hide it.

"_Don't forget about the necklace,_" Kado hissed as Harry turned to go down the stairs.

He nodded and tucked the necklace under his shirt before heading down from the loft and opening the door.

Remus was on the other side, and he offered Harry a smile. "The dog is downstairs, so you don't have to worry about him for the moment. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said.

"No," Harry said quietly. "I was just reading. Why?"

"Your parents want you to come downstairs so we can all have dinner before you and Rose head off to Hogwarts," he said. He paused a moment, frowning. "Please don't take this the wrong way," he started, sounding almost reluctant to say anything. "But something smells different about you."

Harry stayed quiet for a moment, waiting to see where the older man would take the conversation.

"Are you wearing silver?" Remus asked suddenly.

"You're not going to tell James or Lily, are you?" Harry asked.

"Not unless you want me to," he said.

Harry shook his head. "No," he said. "Don't tell them. James would get mad."

"Why?"

"I got another letter from Draco and James doesn't like that we're friends. He sent me a gift," he said, pulling the necklace out from under his shirt so that Remus could clearly see it. "He found it while he was with his father in Switzerland, and he told me that some good luck charms are woven into it. He said it's a late gift, because he wasn't able to send anything on my birthday," he said.

Remus smiled. "That was kind of him," he said, obviously trying not to cross a line.

Harry just returned the smile, mentally praising himself on having lied so smoothly. He had no plans on revealing his contact with the only other Speaker he knew. "How come we're having dinner together tonight if we're leaving the day after tomorrow?" he asked, stepping out of his bedroom and closing the door behind himself. When he noticed Remus staring almost warily at his necklace, he tucked it back under his shirt. "Sorry," he said.

"It's not your fault," Remus said as they started making their way to the dining room. "If you run into any other werewolves, you'll find that we're all uncomfortable around silver, since it can kill us," he said. "I should be fine, as long as I can't see it."

"Oh."

He shrugged. "As far as dinner goes, James is going out to Austria for a business meeting with one of your distant cousins, Adrian Barna. He's going to leave after dinner and he'll be gone for at least a week," he said.

"We've got business in Hungary?"

"A rather profitable vineyard that sells to both Wizard and Muggle. There are issues with some Muggles from a competing vineyard trying to break in and sabotage the wine, so James and Adrian are going to discuss ways to increase security without people getting suspicious," Remus said. "And it's looking very much like Lily is going to take Rose to a day spa and pamper her for the day so that Rose looks her best for the start of her second year," he added.

Harry was silent for a long moment, thinking things over. "If they go to the spa together, will I be here alone, or are you going to be here to babysit me?" he asked.

"I'll be here," he said. "Though not to babysit you."

"Then why?"

Remus paused. "My, um, status, I suppose you could call it, has been compromised. People back in the town I used to live in found out that I'm a werewolf and they burned my house down. They threatened to attack me with silver weapons when I went back and tried to fix it," he said. "James found out and told me that I'm welcome to stay here as long as I'd like, which is his way of trying to tell me that I'm going to be living here until a cure for lycanthropy is found. He makes himself look like an ass about some things, but he's trying to do what he thinks is right. In this case, at least," he said.

Harry looked up at him. "Do you want there to be a cure for lycanthropy?" he asked.

Remus' expression changed a bit, but he didn't answer the question. The only answer he gave Harry was a small, almost confused smile.

Nothing else was said until they reached the dining room and joined the rest of the Potters - and Remus' dog - for dinner.


	16. Chapter 15

Pretend there's a disclaimer here.

Sorry about the delay; school started back up again and my roommates have apparently decided to re-engage in their Cold War this semester. Fun times, really… Anyway, here's the latest installment of Donahue. It's a bit longer than the previous chapters, and the rest of the chapters are probably going to be closer to this length anyway.

Enjoy - and feedback is always appreciated!

**EDIT: This chapter has been rewritten!**

I'm working on the next installment, but it will probably come around mid-December, after my semester ends.

Chapter 15

Just as Remus had suspected, Rose and Lily went off to the day spa to celebrate their last day together before Hogwarts started up. Remus had, once again, seemed to understand perfectly when Harry didn't seem too keen to spend time with him. Instead, the two of them had breakfast together before going their separate ways. Remus had gone out to the garden to read a book and play with his dog while Harry had gone upstairs and started packing his things.

Around eight at night, Harry had pretty much packed everything - apart from Kado.

The gifts that he'd received the other day had been put back in the box and packed carefully away in one of the three secret compartments. He'd looked through the second book that he'd gotten, which he'd figured out was written in the same language he used to speak to Kado. The words came out as a quiet hiss, and both Kado and his basilisk had found it entertaining to hear him read the book aloud. About a third of the way through the book, Harry found a locking spell that couldn't be countered by anyone who wasn't a Speaker, and he'd used that spell to add another level of security to the secret compartment with his gifts.

Kado had even gone into the compartment and, after Harry made a few changes at his demand, decided that it wouldn't be a bad place for him to hide, if it became necessary.

He'd finished packing and was in the middle of a conversation with Kado when someone knocked on his door.

"It's open!" he called, not moving from the couch in the loft.

The door opened and Remus walked in. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said, moving to stand at the bottom of the staircase.

"Not really," Harry said. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner in the garden? The house elves prepared steak and they wanted me to tell you that they've fixed your favorite dessert," he said.

Harry looked over at Kado and shrugged before heading down the stairs. "Sure," he said, offering the older man a small, almost reluctant smile. As they headed down to the garden, Harry frowned, gnawing on his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

Remus looked over at him, a concerned look on his face at the smell of blood. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was wondering if you knew about any books about werewolves," he said.

"Why, if you don't mind my asking?" Remus asked, his concern only becoming more apparent.

"I was reading one of the old books I bought from that store in Germany and it said that werewolves were distantly related to creatures called the Fae," he said, doing his best to feign ignorance. He had a feeling that he shouldn't know as much about the Fae as he did, but he was still incredibly grateful for the book from the other Speaker. "And there were other myths about werewolves that are only vaguely referenced, and I was wondering if you knew where to find books that would discuss them in more detail."

There was an almost tense moment of silence before Remus nodded. "I have one such book," he said. "It's old, and a large part of it is written in Gaelic, but you're welcome to have it if you'd like."

"You don't mind me borrowing it?"

"I don't much care for the book, so you're welcome to keep it," Remus said quietly. "I'll get it for you after we eat dinner and you can pack that with the other books that you need to keep hidden from people."

That had Harry worried. "Is it illegal?"

"Not entirely," Remus said. "But it contains the sort of information that will have people suspicious of you, and I'd much rather you avoid suspicion for as long as possible."

Harry frowned slightly, not sure how to respond to that comment.

The silence lasted until they made it to the table that had been set up in the garden, though it had become more a comfortable silence than a tense one.

Remus' black dog was chasing something, likely a rabbit or a stray cat, through the hedges, but as soon as Remus and Harry walked in, he stopped and ran over to them. He jumped up on Remus, licking the man's face and barking happily. With Harry, the dog didn't jump or bark, but he put his nose against the boy's hand for a moment before going back to Remus' side.

As soon as Harry and Remus sat down at the table, two house elves popped in and served the dinner.

"What's the story with your dog?" Harry asked suddenly, not entirely sure himself where the question came from.

Remus smiled absently, starting in on his steak and not saying anything for a moment.

At the continued silence, Harry flushed red. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said in a hushed tone. He didn't look at Remus, choosing instead to start cutting into his steak.

"You didn't offend," Remus said. "The story is just, well, a bit complicated. I'm not sure it makes for an appropriate dinner story."

Harry looked over at the man. "Last night, James shared in great detail, the story of how he and someone named Sirius Black set up that famous Potions Master to be mauled by a werewolf. He said that he would do it again if he got the chance, Remus. I don't really see how a story about your dog could be much worse than that," he said. "Besides, you can always just skip over the parts you don't want to talk about and just talk about the basics," he added.

Remus was silent for another moment before he nodded. "I trust your instructor taught you about the war before James relieved her?" he asked.

Harry nodded.

"Your father is an Auror, and he still fights in the battles when he's called to fight. But in school, your father and I were part of the Marauders."

"He's told me about the Marauders. You and him and two people. One named Sirius and one that he doesn't like, Paul or Percy or something," Harry said.

"Peter, yes. There was a falling out with him when he decided to betray us all to join the Dark order," Remus said, his expression darkening. "He's still a wanted man, and he's very dangerous, so if you see him, find someone to keep you safe," he added.

Harry nodded and ate some more of his steak.

"Sirius and I have always been close. We were best friends all through school, and he stuck by me even after he found out about my, um, my curse. When he was disowned, he moved in with me and we got even closer," Remus said, going back to answer Harry's question. "We moved in together, and he got a job as an Auror where he worked alongside James."

"What does this have to do with your dog?"

Remus took a deep breath and a deep sip of his wine before continuing. "There was a massive battle about eight years ago, and one of the higher ranking Death Eaters managed to capture Sirius and they held him for some kind of interrogation. When we got him back, about a week later, it was almost too late," he said quietly. "One of the last curses that was cast left Sirius in a constant state of agony."

The dog whined and rested his head on Remus' thigh. He whined again and licked Remus' hand when the man looked down at him, smiling sadly.

Harry watched the exchange in silence. He shifted a bit, feeling as though he was intruding on what should be a private moment, and he knew better than to say anything.

"He was in so much pain that he was coughing up blood just when he tried to sit up in bed. He couldn't breathe or eat or drink on his own," Remus said. "One morning I came in to check on him, but I found him in his Animagus form. While he's in that form, he's in perfect mental health and he never experiences any pain from the curse. It just made sense for him to stay in that form. It helps that none of the Death Eaters know about his Animagus ability, so he's not locked up in protective care for the rest of his life."

Harry looked over at the dog. "So your dog is Sirius?" he asked.

The dog's tail wagged at the question, but he didn't look over at Harry.

Remus just leaned down to press a kiss to the dog's head. He smiled slightly when the dog licked his cheek. "There are a few people, myself included, who are looking for a countercurse, but not even Sirius knows what the original curse is, so that makes it almost impossible. As soon as we find the cure, though, we'll administer it and then Sirius will be able to walk around in human form if he wants," he said.

Harry looked over at the dog, watching with an absent smile as Remus fed him one of the steaks from the table. "He's been the dog this whole time?" he asked.

Remus nodded.

"I shocked him on the nose once."

At that, Remus' lips quirked up in the vague imitation of a smile. "You're not the first person to have done something like that. Sirius has always had something of an overwhelming personality. It takes some getting used to," he said, looking over at Harry.

The boy frowned, meeting Remus' gaze. "How come you didn't tell me this before? I wouldn't have been so mean to him if I'd known what happened to him," he said. "I just thought he was some obnoxious dog."

"Your father asked me not to tell you," Remus said quietly.

Harry's frown deepened, but he didn't say anything. He'd have to confront James about the man's continued unwelcome interference in his life, but he was planning on waiting for as long he could. Knowing James, the conversation would probably become physical and Harry had no intention of being the weaker one during the confrontation.

"Are you alright?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded. "I'm good," he said, offering the man a fake but convincing smile. He felt something lick his hand and he jumped slightly, looking down at the dog, Sirius, with wide eyes. "I'm sorry if I hurt you before," he said after a moment.

Sirius seemed to understand what he was saying, because he licked Harry's hand again and barked, his tail wagging happily.

Remus smiled. "You're not going to be able to avoid him now, you realize," he said quietly.

Harry looked up at him, a genuine smile on his face.

The dog nudged at his hand and Harry started petting him.

"Have you thought about doing the same thing that the Death Eaters did?" Harry asked, looking back up at Remus.

"What do you mean?"

"Go out and capture some Death Eater. See if he knows anything, and if he doesn't, then use him as a bargaining chip of some kind," Harry suggested.

Remus was silent. "I've thought about doing that," he said. "But it's not the way that the Order of the Phoenix conducts themselves." He was silent for another moment before shaking his head. "We're just working on developing a countercurse. Anything else would be too close to behaving like the enemy."

Harry bit back another frown and nodded. He looked down at the dog, smiling a bit when Sirius licked his hand before running off into the garden.

"Did you still want that book?" Remus asked, abruptly changing the subject. At Harry's confused look, he shrugged. "Your mother and sister will be back soon, and I know your mother won't really approve of your reading choices."

"Sure," Harry said.

"Come with me, then," he said, standing up.

Harry followed him out of the garden, glancing behind himself to check on Sirius.

The dog had caught sight of one of the rabbits in the garden and had run off to chase it.

"Have you thought about any other options?" Harry asked as they headed up to Remus' room. He hesitated a moment. "I mean, doesn't lycanthropy eliminate anything in a human body during the turning?" he asked.

Remus shook his head. "I wouldn't put a burden like mine on anyone, especially not the man that I- especially not Sirius," he snapped, his voice little more than a growl.

Harry nodded, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I didn't mean to offend with the question," he said, moving up to catch up with Remus as he quickly turned a corner. As frightening as the man was at the moment, he had a feeling that running away from him would only cause more harm than good.

"It's fine," Remus said. He stopped in front of a door. "Your interest in werewolves is purely academic, I would hope."

Harry just nodded.

"Alright," Remus said. He opened the door and motioned for Harry to follow him into the room.

As soon as he stepped into the room, he started looking around.

The room was about the size of the main sitting room, with large windows making up most of the far wall. It was decorated in shades of brown and dark green. There was a large fireplace on one side of the room, and on both sides of the fireplace were bookshelves filled with a number of books and items that were no doubt of personal value to Remus. Across from the fireplace was a large bed, and near the window was a brown leather couch. Overall, the room was very welcoming, and as Harry followed Remus further into the room, he found himself relaxing quite a bit.

Remus looked through one of the topmost shelves on his bookshelf, frowning slightly until he found the book that he was looking for. "Here we are," he said, reaching for the book. When he pulled it off the shelf, something else dropped off the shelf and onto the floor.

He knelt down to look at what it was, and when he recognized it, he bared his teeth a bit. For a moment, Harry thought Remus was going to growl at it, but the man just clenched his fist around it and stood up.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"It's fine," he said calmly as he shoved whatever it was into the front pocket of his pants. "This is the book I told you about earlier," he said. "It's a bit old, but it's the most reliable source of information that I've ever found on werewolves," he said. He paused for a moment before looking back up at the shelves in front of him and picked up a second book. "This one will help, too," he added, handing that one to Harry.

Harry didn't say anything, choosing instead to inspect the books.

The first one was old, but it seemed to be in good shape. The title was faded, but Harry could read it well enough. _A Detailed History of Lycanthropy_. It was a bit thicker than most of the other books on Remus' shelf.

The second book was much newer, and it looked quite a bit more interesting. The title was simple - _The Werewolf_ - and it seemed to be made up of a number of sketches. Most of them were related to anatomy, and that immediately piqued Harry's interest.

"Thank you, Remus," he said, looking up at the man with a smile. It faded quickly, though, when he saw the almost confused look on his face. "Remus? Are you okay?"

"Hm?" he asked. "Oh yes, I'm fine," he said, looking over at Harry. He'd wandered over to sit on the edge of his bed, and he was looking at whatever had fallen from the top shelf.

Curiosity getting the best of him, Harry set the books on the armchair in front of the fireplace and walked over to the bed. He didn't sit down, though, and instead stayed standing in front of the older man. "Remus?" he asked again, this time in a quieter voice.

"Here," Remus said, suddenly thrusting something into Harry's hands. "Take this, too," he said.

"What is it?" Harry asked. He looked at what he'd just been handed and frowned. It looked like a necklace that Eli wore during their lessons. It was a leather cord, and hanging from it was what looked to be a fang. This, though, was longer than any fang Harry had seen before. It had to be almost five inches, and the bottom tip, which looked sharp, was tinged red. An uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach had Harry thinking that it was old blood.

"It was a gift I got, after I was turned," Remus said hesitantly. He looked up at Harry and, for a moment, his eyes glowed amber. "My sire didn't appreciate it when I repeatedly refused to join his pack. After a while, he realized that threats weren't going to work, so he tried his luck with gifts," he said. "That was the last gift he gave me."

"A tooth?" Harry asked, looking back down at the necklace in his hands.

"One of his canines," Remus said. "Werewolves regrow their teeth in case they fall out, so the gift is particularly meaningful to pack members. It's a way for Alphas to give their wayward pack members a way to belong, even when they aren't physically with the pack."

"Pack members don't always stay with their pack?" Harry asked, confused.

Remus paused for a moment, frowning. He looked up at Harry. "I'm not trying to ignore you," he said. "There are just some things that no one is allowed to talk about with people who aren't part of the pack."

Harry nodded but didn't say anything. Instead, he looked at the pictures on the end table next to Remus' bed. One picture in particular caught his eye, and before he could stop himself, he took a step closer to the picture. It was a picture of a much younger Remus, maybe eighteen years old, and he was being hugged from behind by a tall, attractive man with black hair and gray eyes. When they realized they were being looked at, the man in the picture winked at Harry and pulled the younger Remus into a kiss. The younger Remus immediately pushed the man and shoved him away, his face bright red, though there was still a grin on his face.

"That was the summer after we graduated," Remus said, surprising Harry.

"What?" Harry asked, looking over at Remus, who was staring at the picture with a sad smile.

"After graduation, we decided to buy a house together where we'd be able to shut out the world if we wanted. About a month after we'd settled into the house, James and Lily came over to see the place. Lily took that picture, and after dinner that night, Sirius asked me to marry him," he said, a flush coming to his face as he recalled the memory.

Harry stayed silent as Remus kept looking at the picture. Both of them smiled when the two people in the picture blew kisses at Remus.

A few minutes later, Remus cleared his throat and looked back at Harry.

"I didn't mean to intrude," Harry said, a flush coming to his face.

"It's fine, really," he said, the sad smile coming back. "Now, the fang is a way for someone to be marked as under the protection of the pack even when they aren't physically with the pack at the time. It's not a common thing, but there are werewolves who send their cubs off to get their education, or when one of them needs to leave the pack for some reason, the Alpha will give them a fang. When you're wearing the fang, it tells any other magical creatures that you're under the protection of the pack," he said.

Harry nodded slightly, still not entirely understanding.

"Keep it," Remus said after a moment.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, looking back down at the necklace.

Remus nodded. "I'm sure you've been taught that these are dangerous times, and you are valuable as a potential hostage. I don't want you to have to defend yourself against any creature that thinks kidnapping you will help them get whatever they want," he said.

"Thank you," Harry said quietly. "What happens if I run into a werewolf while I'm wearing it?" he asked.

"They'll recognize the scent of the Alpha and they'll take that into consideration when they continue to interact with you. If they're part of the same pack, you might have to deal with the more physical nature of werewolves."

"Physical nature?" Harry asked.

Remus flushed slightly. "They are usually very tactile creatures. When they recognize the pack, you'll probably get hugged, and you might have to deal with them playing with your hair or keeping a hand on your shoulder," he said. "Most of the smarter wolves will hold back, though, because they'll be able to recognize that you aren't a wolf yourself. Just under the protection of one," he said.

Harry just nodded.

One of the house elves popped into the room suddenly, surprising both of them. "Lady Potter is wishing me to be telling the young Lord and the Wolf that Lady Potter and the young Lady is being arriving in a few minutes," she said.

Remus nodded. "Alright," he said.

The house elf nodded and disappeared with a loud pop.

"Are we supposed to be doing anything for them?" Harry asked.

"Not usually," he said. "Rose just likes to be announced, and your parents have gotten used to letting her have pretty much whatever she wants," he said.

At that, Harry scowled, but he didn't say anything.

Remus stood up, brushing a bit of dirt off his pant leg. "I've got to go check on Sirius before the house elves decide that he's causing too much trouble," he said.

"Can I come with you?" Harry asked.

Remus nodded, smiling a bit. "Of course," he said. "Don't forget to take the books before you go off to bed, if you still want to read them," he added.

Harry nodded.

"And try to be careful with the fang when you're wearing that silver necklace," he said. "If the fang touches the silver, it will start to degrade the fang and the Alpha will start to have a toothache. If the tooth gets too degraded, he'll start tracking the fang to see what's wrong, and he won't be happy about it. He'll think that his pack member is in need of his protection," he said.

Harry just nodded again.

When they got to the staircase, they heard the tell-tale echoing crack of Lily Apparating into the main hall, and almost immediately came Rose's excited chatter.

Harry scowled and stopped walking when he heard Rose talking about someone called Percy. "On second thought, I'm going to take the books back to my room and make sure they're packed away before I go to sleep," he said. "Can I see you and Sirius again in the morning, before Lily takes Rose and me off to the train station?" he asked.

Remus smiled and, for a moment, it looked like he was about to hug Harry. "I'd like that," he said. "And so would Sirius," he added.

Harry returned the smile. "Do you mind if I go get the books and then just go to bed?" he asked.

"Of course not," Remus said, motioning down the hall. "Have a good night," he said.

"You too," Harry said before heading back into Remus' bedroom. He picked up the two books, glanced over at the picture again, and left, intent on getting back to his room and locking the door a number of times before Rose could get inside and start talking to him about her day.

He made it just in time, as he heard Rose running past his doors and going into her bedroom.

"_Did you enjoy your dinner with the wolf_?" Kado asked from his spot on Harry's bed.

Harry nodded. "_He gave me some books, and something that will work to protect me_," he said, holding out the fang so that Kado could inspect it.

The snake seemed less than impressed, so Harry just set it on the bed next to him while he opened his trunk and unlocked the secret compartment. "_I thought you and the basilisk were getting to know each other better_," he said.

"_She is far too self-absorbed to keep me interested for too long,_" Kado said, and Harry laughed quietly at that, but didn't say anything. "_Besides, you really should get enough sleep before you go off to this new school of yours_," he said. "_And you get incredibly warm and you don't move that much when you sleep, so I like to curl up on your back_," he added.

Harry just grinned. "_I suppose I should hurry up and fall asleep, then,_" he said.

"_And here I thought I'd have to spell it out for you, child_," Kado said, sounding more smug than usual. He hissed irritably when Harry tossed a pillow at him, and he quickly moved into a striking position. "_Throw something else at me, boy, I dare you_," he hissed.

Harry's grin just got bigger at the challenge, and he wandlessly summoned a small rabbit from Rose's room. Without warning, he tossed the rabbit at Kado.

The snake hissed happily and quickly chased after the rabbit, which panicked and tried to get away.

Harry watched, completely amused, and didn't interfere in Kado's hunt as he quickly changed for bed.

...

The next morning, after saying goodbye to Remus and Sirius and after a stony exchange with James and Lily, Harry made himself comfortable in one of the last compartments on the train. He'd pulled out his Potions book for the year and had started rereading it when someone knocked on the door to his compartment. Harry looked up from his book and, when he saw the stranger, opened the door.

The other boy smiled at him and took a seat opposite him. "My name's Cedric Diggory," he said.

"Harry Potter," he said quietly.

The boy, Cedric apparently, nodded and leaned back in the booth. He was taller than Harry, and a bit broader in the shoulders, and he seemed a bit older than Harry as well. He was well-dressed, already in his school robes, with dark brown hair and grey eyes. "My father told me that you came back to the Potters this year," he said.

"Does everyone know about that?" Harry asked irritably.

Cedric shrugged. "Pretty much," he said.

Harry scowled but didn't say anything else as the train hissed loudly and started moving out of the station.

Kado hissed quietly, letting him know that he wanted to look at Cedric, and shifted from his spot around Harry's left arm. He moved enough so that he could look at the boy while still staying hidden under Harry's jacket. As he moved, though, the leather cord holding the werewolf fang moved enough for the fang to drop out from under his shirt.

Cedric's eyes immediately brightened when he recognized the fang. "You've got protection from a werewolf?" he asked. "And you're hiding something under your shirt, aren't you?"

Harry flushed red and nodded. "I've got a pet snake, and I couldn't leave him with the Potters or James would have killed him as soon as I left," he said. "And my, uh, my godfather gave me the fang before I left for the train station," he added. "You aren't going to tell anyone, are you?"

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I promise, not even a word. But did he say what pack he's a part of?"

"He doesn't like talking about it, really," Harry said. "I think he's embarrassed about it, and he calls it a disease."

Cedric frowned slightly. "Oh. That's odd. Most werewolves are proud of their status, even though the government sees them as less than human," he said angrily.

Harry quirked an eyebrow, thinking over the other boy's anger. It seemed too intense for some reason, though he wasn't sure why. Finally, after a few seconds, a thought came to him and he smirked slightly. Before he said anything, though, he locked the compartment door and made sure that he wasn't making Kado uncomfortable. "You know a werewolf?" he asked. He paused a moment. "As long as you keep my secrets, I'll keep yours," he said. "It's only fair."

"My mother's sister," Cedric said after a long moment of hesitation. "She was bitten when she was five years old, and she's spent most of her life with her pack. I've only met her a few times, but she's told me every time we've met that I would be welcomed by her pack. That it's an honor to hear the moon calling," he said. "My parents don't like it when she speaks with me, though."

"Why not?"

"Because she keeps telling me that I would be welcomed within her pack," he said. "They'd much rather keep me at home, where they can train me to be the next Minister of Magic."

Harry grinned. "You hate politics?" he asked.

Cedric nodded. "My father ran for Minister a few years after he graduated. He lost, rather spectacularly, to Minister Fudge, and then he married my mother. As soon as I was born, he started grooming me for the position. My mother sometimes seems more excited about the prospect than my father," he said, shifting a bit. "And I only dream of the moon," he said quietly, though it sounded like he hadn't meant to say it aloud.

Harry was silent for a long moment. He wasn't entirely sure if he should be in the same room, or if he should be giving Cedric some privacy.

An odd moment settled between them, the environment neither too tense nor entirely comfortable.

That moment passed when someone knocked on the door to the compartment. Cedric and Harry both jumped, but this time Cedric was the one to stand up and open the door.

"Would either of you care for some sweets?" an older woman asked. She motioned to her cart, which was stacked high with the largest variety of candies that Harry had ever seen in his life.

He looked over at Cedric, who shrugged. "I think we're good," he said, looking back up at the woman. "Thank you, though," he added.

Once the woman was gone and the compartment door was locked again, both Harry and Cedric relaxed a bit.

"Could I, um, would you mind if I looked at your fang?" Cedric asked after a moment.

Harry nodded and took off the necklace. He handed it to Cedric, who regarded it almost as though it was some kind of sacred thing. Harry looked down at Kado, not saying anything as the snake moved around a bit to try and get more comfortable. "If you want, you can keep it until we get to the school," Harry said after a moment. The smile Cedric sent him in response had Harry smiling back at the boy. Even Kado was amused by the boy's smile.

"Thank you," he said quietly, looking only at the fang.

"_I want to move into the sunlight_," Kado hissed after a moment.

Not wanting to reveal his ability to speak with snakes, he looked up at Cedric. "Do you mind if I take my snake out? He likes to sleep in the sunlight," he said. When Cedric looked up at him with a slightly terrified look on his face. "He's not venomous, and he'll stay on this side of the compartment."

"I don't mind," Cedric said hesitantly. He watched with thinly veiled curiosity as Harry picked Kado up and set him on the seat next to him. When Kado only moved enough to make himself comfortable in the sunlight, he relaxed a bit and leaned back, his gaze going back to the fang in his hands.

A comfortable silence settled between them for a few minutes. Cedric's attention was still devoted to the fang, and he'd started turning it over in his hands with a small frown on his face. Harry amused himself by poking absently at Kado's side and grinning when the snake cursed at him for disturbing his would-be nap. Of course, he'd pretended not to be able to understand Kado, which only amused him and irritated Kado further. The two of them achieved a semblance of piece when Harry started petting Kado's head and the snake started to drift off to sleep.

About half an hour later, after Harry had started to drift off to sleep himself, someone else knocked on the door to the compartment. The noise startled both Harry and Kado awake, and for a moment, Harry forgot where he was. He quickly regained himself, though, and it didn't seem like his lapse had been noticed.

"Cover up your snake," Cedric said as he stood up and stretched a bit. He handed the fang back to Harry and waited until after Harry had taken off his jacket and completely hidden Kado from sight before he opened the compartment door. He paled slightly when he saw who was on the other side of the door.

"Harry," Draco said once Cedric had stepped aside, retreating back to his seat. "I've been looking for you for the past fifteen minutes. Why are you hiding back here? You'd be welcome to join me in my compartment. And I'm sure Blaise would like to see you again," he said.

Harry shrugged. "I didn't want to risk running into Rose and her friends, or the Weasleys," he said. "Besides, Cedric has been pretty cool so far," he said.

Draco frowned and said nothing for a moment. He turned a cool, calculating look onto the other boy, inspecting him closely. Whatever he was looking for, he didn't seem to find it, and he turned back to Harry without saying so much as one word to the other boy. "When you're done pretending that this boy is really worth your time, you can find me up closer to the front of the train."

Cedric flushed red at the dismissal but he said nothing, choosing instead to pick up one of his books and start reading.

Harry didn't miss the other boy's embarrassment, but he showed no sign of acknowledging it at the moment. He looked up at Draco, considering his offer for a moment. "Thank you for the offer," he said. "But I'd rather just stay back here for now."

For a moment, Draco looked insulted. He quickly gathered himself, though, and nodded curtly. "Just make sure that you don't associate yourself with the riffraff for too long. People will start to get the wrong idea," he said, sending Cedric another dirty look before he left the compartment.

Harry waited until the door was shut behind Draco before standing up and locking it. He took his jacket off of Kado and looked over at Cedric, whose cheeks were still stained pink. "I'm sorry about that," he said quietly. "We've met a few times before and he's decided that he's going to take me under his wing or something. He's really not that bad when he's not acting like a prat."

Cedric didn't say anything for a moment. "My father and Lucius Malfoy don't really get along, and neither of our families have gotten along since then," he said.

"What happened?" Harry asked. He frowned. "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he said.

"No, it's alright. Most people already know what happened," he said. Cedric hesitated for a moment, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His gaze strayed from Harry to Kado, not saying anything. "Because my father's loss was as incredibly humiliating as it was, he's kind of ruined our family's reputation, at least in the political world. The Malfoy family has had an impeccable reputation for a number of generations, and they have taken to lording that over my father whenever he and Lucius Malfoy are in the same room with each other," he said.

Harry was silent for a moment, not sure what to say.

Cedric shrugged a bit, shifting in his seat. "If you'd rather go spend the rest of the trip with Draco and his friends, I'd understand," he said quietly, not quite meeting Harry's eyes. "It's not the first time that someone's made that choice."

Harry frowned, looking down at Kado. He couldn't help but feel a bit insulted at the implications, and he could tell that Kado felt the same. "I think," Harry said calmly, folding his hands together in his lap. "That I might be offended."

"I beg your pardon?" Cedric asked, looking completely shocked at Harry's statement.

"Do I really seem like the kind of person who would choose to chase after Draco because I think politics is everything?" Harry asked. "Or because I might somehow be able to improve my social standing by being seen with someone of higher standing than me?"

Cedric shrugged. "Your father makes that choice a number of times a week, even though he and Malfoy hate each other more than Malfoy and my father," he said.

Harry scowled. "My father also decided to drop me off with my mum's Muggle relatives for some reason he has yet to share with me," he said. "He and I are nothing alike and he's still just an unbalanced, immature git who's somehow managed to get everything he wants served to him on a silver platter," he said.

"Oh," Cedric said, though there was a slight smile on his face when he realized that Harry wasn't going to leave the compartment.

"Now that we've got that settled, perhaps we can get on with the more important business of making sure that we become friends before the train arrives at Hogwarts," Harry said, tossing the fang necklace back to Cedric, who easily caught it.

"Thank you," Cedric said, the smile turning to a full-on grin.

Harry just nodded, to sure what to think of the other boy's readiness to be abandoned at a moment's notice.

...

When the train finally arrived at Hogwarts, Harry had changed into his school robes, and Cedric had even gone so far as to help Harry make sure that Kado was hidden well enough to avoid detection. After their earlier misunderstanding, Harry and Cedric had quickly settled things by discussing their childhoods and their families. Cedric had soon grown uncomfortable talking about his upbringing, so he'd gone on to make sure that Harry had a basic understanding of what would be covered in his first year. As he'd told Harry, even if he didn't end up in Hufflepuff with Cedric, there was no reason at all for him to be underprepared for the coming year.

The two of them separated as they got off the train, and Harry made his way over to the boats where the rest of the first years were gathering.

The youngest male Weasley took a few steps toward Harry, an almost expectant look on his face, and Harry bit back a frown. There was no way he was sitting with the boy - Ronald, if he remembered correctly. He'd seemed too interested in Rose during the Weasley-Potter dinners and he had no intention of being used by the redhead, especially if it had anything to do with Rose. Fortunately, he was saved from having to speak to Ronald when Draco appeared at his side. The two large boys, Vincent and Gregory, stood behind him, looking like they were acting as some sort of bodyguard for the boy.

"Don't even think about trying to run off with that blood traitor," Draco hissed quietly when he realized that Harry was staring at Ronald. He sent a glare in the redhead's direction and chuckled quietly when the boy paled slightly.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry replied with a slight smile, looking over and meeting Draco's expectant gaze.

"Good," Draco said, adopting a haughty expression not unlike the one he'd worn when he'd first introduced Harry to his friends. "Follow me, then," he said, heading toward the nearest boat. Harry hesitated only briefly, not feeling entirely comfortable with the way Goyle and Crabbe silently lumbered after them.

As the boats crossed the lake, Harry felt a number of other first years staring at him, and he got increasingly uncomfortable with the stares. Fortunately, though, as the boats reached the shore and all the first years were gathered into the entrance hall of the ever-impressive castle, most of the students became more interested in inspecting their new surroundings than staring at him. Harry relaxed a little bit as he looked around, unable to hide his awe.

Harry had seen pictures of the castle, and Rose had taken it upon herself to describe every detail of the castle that she could remember, but nothing compared to actually seeing the place in person. As he looked around, he found himself unable to breathe properly. Really, Hogwarts was beautiful beyond belief, and he found himself in complete awe of the castle.

An older woman called Professor McGonagall met them all, and as soon as the castle doors shut behind them, she started talking. She told them about the sorting process, and once she was done with that, she answered a few questions from the more inquisitive first years.

"If it's really him, why is he hanging out with that other boy and not you?" a bushy-haired muggleborn asked from her spot next to Ronald, doing her best to be subtle as she edged toward Harry.

Harry scowled and shifted a bit so that he was partially hidden behind Goyle.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked quietly. He looked down at Harry, not sure why the boy was suddenly going shy.

He just turned a cold glare onto the girl, who was still staring at him with wide eyes. "I'd be better if people knew when to mind their own business," he said sharply, making sure that she could hear him. Right away, the muggleborn, Weasley, and a few others who'd been staring at him flushed red and looked away.

Draco smirked, and he gestured to Crabbe and Goyle, who moved closer to him and Harry, creating something of a barrier between the two of them and the rest of the first years.

"Thank you, Draco," Harry said quietly.

The Malfoy just nodded. "I may not always approve of your choice in new friends, but I'm not going to let you be treated as a carnival attraction by children who haven't been properly educated in decent courtesy," he said, just as quietly. "That doesn't mean that I'm going to pretend that my family doesn't have any disagreements with your friends, so keep that in mind if you continue to associate yourself with the Hufflepuff."

"Draco, I'm not going to stop being friends with Cedric just because it annoys you," Harry said quietly. "So you two either need to learn to get along with each other, or I'm going to ignore you until you realize you're being a prat about it and apologize," he said.

Draco was silent for a brief moment. "Fine," he said before stepping forward a bit. When he was standing almost flush to Harry's side, and only the smaller boy would be able to hear him speak, he smirked. "But if you decide to ignore me, you're going to start something that you can't handle," he said in a teasing whisper. "Malfoys never apologize, and we don't allow ourselves to be ignored."

"Fascinating, really," Harry said dryly, though he was smirking as well. "Now if you don't mind stepping back, I'd like to be able to listen to the Sorting without having you breathing down my neck," he said.

Draco's smirk just grew. "This is going to be fun," he said. "But of course, I'll be polite and wait for you to officially start this little game of ours."

Harry turned his head slightly to meet Draco's amused silver eyes. "I'm already looking forward to it," he said.

"Everyone, please be quiet," Professor McGonagall said suddenly, catching everyone's attention and ending the quiet conversations that had cropped up when she stopped speaking. "I am going to call your name once. You will take a seat on the stool and put the Sorting Hat on your head. If you miss your name, I will call it a second time, but if I have to call it a third time, you will not be Sorted in front of the hall. You will instead be taken to the Headmaster's office, where you will explain why you weren't paying attention and you will then be Sorted in front of just the Headmaster and myself," she said.

No one said anything, and McGonagall seemed to take that as their acknowledgement.

She nodded sternly, looking at everyone in the group in front of her. "Follow me, then," she said. "And do try to remember to keep your behavior in check."

The actual process of being Sorted wasn't too exciting. Harry spent most of his time in line hiding with between Crabbe and Goyle, exchanging quiet whispers with Draco and his friends. Blaise seemed particularly irate at the continued stares and whispers surrounding Harry, and when Ronald tried to reach out and grab Harry's shoulder, he almost broke the boy's arm before practically plastering himself to Harry's side and glaring at everyone who so much as looked in their direction as they waited their turns to be Sorted.

The bushy-haired muggleborn, Hermione Granger, had been Sorted into Gryffindor, along with most of the other students who'd been staring at Harry.

Draco, to no one's surprise, had gone into Slytherin. When he'd made his way over to the Slytherin table, the House crest sewing itself onto his cloak as he went, the pride was obvious on some of the older Slytherins' faces, though it was quickly hidden when Draco took his seat.

At first, Harry didn't hear Professor McGonagall call his name. Blaise nudged Harry's shoulder a bit, catching his attention. His eyes narrowed when he felt Kado hiding under Harry's clothes, but he said nothing about it. Instead, the darker boy just nodded to the hat.

"Go on," he said quietly.

Harry looked up at the Professor, who was watching him with a stern expression. He offered her a small smile before heading out to the center of the hall. He hesitated for a moment before putting the hat on his head.

Right away, he felt an odd, almost probing sensation in his mind and he frowned, wondering how to react to the feeling.

_No need to be concerned, boy. I am merely here to best judge which House to place you in, nothing more. Any secrets I find in the process will be kept just between the two of us_.

Harry nodded slightly but didn't say anything, deciding that silence would be the best option in this case.

_Not as talkative as the others, I see_, the Hat said, and it sounded almost... amused at the fact. _I suppose I should just Sort you and hope that we will have another conversation before I get too old. If I Sort you quickly, boy, you must promise me that we will have another conversation._

Harry stayed silent for another few seconds before nodding minutely.

_Very good. Now, you are blessed with power. I can taste it, boy, and you are still a long way from maturation yet. I can feel two paths awaiting you in your future, and I am keen to know which path you will choose. I expect a conversation with you before you graduate, boy, and if you deny me that conversation, you will find out first hand how powerful I am as a rotting old hat._

Harry nodded again. He wasn't sure what to think of the two paths that the Hat had mentioned, but he quickly decided that he'd focus on that when he had the time and privacy to fully think it over.

_Good boy. _With that said, the Hat straightened up on Harry's head and the foreign sensation in his head disappeared. "It is to be SLYTHERIN!" the Hat yelled, and the silence that followed that announcement was eerie. _Off to your new House, then, boy, and don't forget about our conversation._

He stood up, not saying anything, and adopted what he hoped was an emotionless mask. As he walked over to the Slytherin table, he noticed that a few of the older Slytherins were wearing the same expression of pride as they had when Draco had been Sorted.

"I knew you'd be sorted in the same house as me," Draco said quietly as Harry sat on the bench next to him. "You're probably going to need some kind of protection, though."

"Why?" Harry asked, keeping his voice quiet as well. Draco nodded at the table on the far side of the hall, and only then did Harry notice the outright glares he was getting from the older students at the Gryffindor table, and the gaggle of redheads he'd come to know as the Weasley children. Even some of the professors looked less than pleased at the Hat's announcement. Harry smirked slightly but didn't say anything as Professor McGonagall finally recovered enough to announce the next student to be Sorted. "As much as I appreciate the offer, Draco, I'm pretty sure I can handle myself. With the students, at least."

"And the creature on your shoulders is no doubt a protective beast."

Harry frowned, only barely able to stop himself from reaching up to touch Kado's side. He looked over at the other tables to see if he could find Cedric. The older boy was at the Hufflepuff table, speaking with a brunette girl sitting next to him, and when he and Harry locked gazes, he nodded to him and sent a small smile before retuning to his conversation. "How'd you know?" Harry asked as he looked back over at Draco.

Draco merely smirked over at him, and for a moment, as Theodore Nott was Sorted into Slytherin, he was silent. "Blaise pointed it out to me earlier," he said in a hushed tone. "Your little beast has a magical residue to it, one that's different from yours," he said.

"Oh," Harry said quietly. He glanced down at the table in front of him. He offered Theo a small smile when the boy sat across from them, and he watched the rest of the Sorting in silence, feeling increasingly at ease among the Slytherins.


	17. Chapter 16

Pretend there's a disclaimer here.

My winter break gave me enough time to work with the stories, and I've been planning things out and writing a few chapters. Here's the latest.

A few reviewers pointed out that, in the previous chapter, I de-aged Cedric. That was a mistake on my part, and I apologize. The chapter has been re-tweaked so that Cedric is no longer in the same year as Harry, and it's going to continue as such throughout the rest of the story.

As always, enjoy! - and feedback is always appreciated!

Chapter 16

Just over two hours after the Sorting and the subsequent dinner, the Headmaster called for everyone's attention to wish the students a productive school year and to ask the prefects to take the first years to their new Common rooms.

Harry stayed close to Draco as they left the Great Hall, not feeling at all comfortable with the glares he'd been receiving from much of the hall - though the most vicious looks had come from his sister and the Weasleys. Draco seemed only too happy with his behavior, and had had Crabbe and Goyle once again block the two of them from sight.

The prefect that had led them through the halls and into the dungeons was a large, bulky seventh year named Marcus Flint who seemed less interested than the rest of his classmates in Potter's presence. Nonetheless, he spent the bulk of the trip to the Slytherin Nest watching Harry with an almost speculative look in his eyes.

Once they made it to the blank wall that hid the entrance to the Slytherin House, Marcus turned to the small group of first years, eyeing them all and doing his best to intimidate them before he said so much as one word to them. Judging from the looks on some of their faces, his act was working, though neither Draco nor Blaise seemed particularly affected.

"Both the entrance and the password to our House must be kept to yourselves, and if any of you bring in someone from another House, your guest is likely to get hexed before they make it fully into our Common Room," he said. "Most of you are from the sort of family that appreciates this sort of privacy, and any of you stupid enough not to respect the legacy that is Slytherin will find themselves punished for it," he said. "The password will change twice a month to ensure that no one can sneak in using an old password. Snape will post the password on the mantle above the fireplace on the morning that it's changed, and if you don't see it before your first class, you're going to have to ask someone who was prepared enough to check. Any questions?"

No one said anything.

Marcus bared his teeth in the loose imitation of a smile. "Good," he said. "The password for now is _crotalus_," he said. As he spoke, the stone wall behind him seemed to come alive, with parts of it separating smoothly from each other to create an archway large enough for the students to file inside.

As soon as Harry walked into the Common Room and looked around, his jaw dropped.

The room was enormous, and by far the most opulent room that he'd ever seen. It seemed to be as large as the entire wing of the second floor of the Potter Manor. There were a number of large sofas in the room, as well as a full size dining table that looked like it was used as a group study table.

The walls were painted in shades of pale green and brown, with large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to provide light. Portraits hung on the walls, likely of former Slytherins who'd graduated and gone on to greater things.

On the right side of the room was a large staircase that Harry assumed led to the actual dorm rooms, and next to the staircase was a small library of bookshelves with a number of armchairs to make that corner of the room more comfortable.

On the left side of the room, there was a large fireplace, with a fire raging inside it. There were doors on both sides of the fireplace. The door on the right was simple enough, but the doors on the left side of the fireplace were the complete opposite. A set of French doors with the stained glass depiction of some kind of snake.

Harry took half a step forward, narrowing his eyes at the doors. For a moment it looked almost like the snake had moved a bit.

"_Don't speak to any other snakes until I'm sure it's safe for you to do so_," Kado said quietly when Harry made to take another step forward. He tightened himself around Harry's shoulders as much as he could without the movement being seen, stopping Harry in place. "_And it would be wise for you to do your best to act like you have no specific connection to snakes. I will do my part and stay out of sight for as long as possible_," he hissed quietly.

Harry nodded ever so slightly but said nothing as he went back to looking around the Common Room, pointedly ignoring the stained glass snake, or anything else that too closely resembled a moving snake.

Above the fireplace mantle was a large portrait of a man with black hair and dark eyes. The man looked over toward the entrance as most of the first years recovered enough to walk further into the Common Room. He didn't look altogether impressed with what he saw, though he said nothing.

"Harry," Draco said. He got no response and looked over at Harry, scowling when he realized that the younger boy wasn't paying attention to him. "Potter, do not ignore me," he said, jabbing a finger into Harry's ribs.

Harry jerked away from the touch, glaring at Draco. "That hurt, assface," he said, rubbing his side.

"Let that be a lesson to you that you are never to ignore a Malfoy," Draco said. "Are you listening to me now?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Harry asked.

Draco smirked. "Better, though you could try to be a bit more enthusiastic about it," he said. "The portrait, the one above the fireplace. He looks a bit like you, don't you think?" he asked.

Harry looked up at the portrait, inspecting it carefully. As he did so, the man looked over at him and his eyes narrowed as he looked Harry over as well.

"A bit, I suppose," Harry said after a moment, looking back over at Draco. "Why? Who is he?"

His question had Draco laughing quietly, which in turn caught the attention of the other first years and Marcus Flint. "That's the Founder of our House, you dolt," he said. "That's Salazar Slytherin."

"Really?"

Marcus nodded. "He doesn't speak to anyone. He just watches what's going on in his House," he said. "Now, the first year dorms are on the third floor of the Nest," he added, motioning toward the staircase.

The group of first years took the hint and made their way toward the staircase and quickly headed up to the third floor, which was the top floor of the Slytherin Nest. There was a small hallway with two doors on both sides, and at the end of the hallway was a fifth door.

"There are two beds in each room. Girls room together and boys room together, and once the girls have chosen their rooms, protections will be put in place to make sure no boys try to sneak into the room. Other than that, your room choice is permanent," Marcus said with a slight smirk. "So make sure you aren't going to choose someone who's going to inspire homicide," he added. "The death of a student won't be taken lightly, even in Slytherin."

Draco grabbed hold of Harry's elbow and pulled him toward one room at the end of the hallway. "You're coming with me, Potter."

"Why me?" he asked even as he allowed himself to be pulled toward the room.

"Because I need to make sure you know how to behave yourself, and I cannot trust anyone else but me to make sure that you're behaving yourself properly," Draco said. He stopped once they made it to the doorway and turned to see who the other Slytherins were pairing up with.

Blaise and Theo were rooming together, as were Crabbe and Goyle. Two girls, Pansy and Millicent, if Harry remembered correctly, roomed together; while Daphne Greengrass, a Pureblooded witch who'd been nice enough to Harry during dinner, had paired up with her cousin, Tracey Davis.

When Harry caught Theo's eyes, the taller boy smirked over at him. "Don't tell me you're scared of Draco?" he asked.

Harry scowled but shook his head.

"Then go on. He's not going to bite you."

Draco laughed, for a moment sounding exactly like his father, but didn't say anything.

"You're going to have a few minutes to yourselves before our Head of House shows up," Marcus said. "He's going to tell you the house rules, and you can ask him any of your questions." He looked over at Draco, the two of them sharing a quick look before Marcus nodded and he left.

"You two know each other?" Blaise asked with a knowing look.

Draco nodded slightly. "He worked for my father over the summer, and he tutored me in some spellwork," he said before opening the door and motioning for Harry to go inside.

The room was much larger than Harry had expected, and the casual luxury that made up the Common Room had carried over into this room as well. It had three beds against the left wall, with a small fireplace and a door on the opposite wall.

"That'll be the bathroom," Draco said as he looked around the room. "I wonder why there's a blank portrait above our fireplace?"

Harry grinned. "Maybe the Founder likes to spy on the first years when they've just come out of the bath?" he asked.

"Don't be crude," Draco said, though he looked back up at the painting with a pink flush coming over his face. "He wouldn't be nearly as respected if he did so."

"The practice of older men taking it upon themselves to sexually educate younger men has been documented throughout Wizard history. It wasn't an everyday occurrence, but it happened often enough," Harry said. "I think it's considered part of the Old Ways now, but there are people who still respect those ways."

Draco nodded, his blush just getting brighter. "I know perfectly well about the Old Ways, Harrison, but I also had no interest in picturing the Founder of our House involved with someone our age!"

Harry laughed quietly and opened his mouth to say something else, but Draco held up his hand to stop him. He relented and nodded. "Who's our Head of House?"

"Severus Snape," Draco said. He smirked, quickly regaining his composure. "He teaches Potions here, and he was the youngest Potions Master to ever be certified. He's also my godfather."

"Nice," Harry said quietly. He toed off his shoes and looked over at Draco, frowning when he realized the boy was watching him almost expectantly. "What?"

"Your snake," he said quietly, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that no one had come into the room. "What are you going to do with it?"

"He's going to stay with me until I know it's safe enough for him to move around without having to worry about someone coming in and going after him," Harry said.

"If he's yours, and as long as it doesn't attack anyone, I doubt anyone's going to come after your snake."

Harry shrugged. "James kept threatening to skin him and cook him every time he saw him," he said, absently petting Kado's head.

Draco was silent for a moment, clearly not pleased with the new information. Finally, he nodded and motioned over at the door. "Professor Snape will probably be showing up soon," he said.

Harry nodded and followed Draco out of the room.

"When I'm older," Draco said, speaking so that only Harry could hear him. "I'm going to put James Potter on a spit and roast him alive."

Harry smirked. "Not if I get to him first."

Draco laughed quietly. "We'll make a proper Dark wizard out of you yet, Potter," he said.

"You had any doubts?" Blaise asked as he stepped out of his room, followed closely by Theo. "He reeks of power and he's known enough to make sure you like him."

"You're overestimating me," Harry said with a slight grin.

Draco opened his mouth to say something else when he heard someone making their way up the stairs. He fell silent, shooting a warning look to Theo. He noticed Harry watching the exchange with a curious look on his face and shrugged. "Some of us get a bit edgy in new places and being confronted with strangers," he said quietly, nodding toward Theo and Blaise.

Theo had taken a deliberate step closer to Blaise, and he'd taken hold of one of Blaise's hands. He caught Harry's eye and smiled tensely. "Precautions," he whispered.

Harry nodded and shifted slightly.

The rest of the first years walked out of their rooms as their Head of House made his appearance at the top of the stairs.

He was tall, with pale skin and potion stained fingers. His black hair reached almost to his shoulders, and his eyes were dark. He was wearing all black robes and had a less than pleased expression on his face as he looked over the first years. Well, almost. He refused to look at Harry, even for only a moment.

"I'm Professor Snape, the Potions Professor here and your Head of House," the man said, still looking around at almost every first year. "You'll have enough time to acquaint yourself with your new House after classes tomorrow, but I expect you all to follow the rules. As Slytherins, you will find yourselves under greater scrutiny than students from the other Houses. I can only do so much to protect you, and the older students will do what they can, but at the moment it is better that none of you go anywhere alone."

"Why, sir?" Daphne asked suddenly. "Are we really in that much danger?"

Snape nodded slightly. "The tensions are extremely high in our world right now, and this House has always found itself the victim of discrimination. The older students will likely leave you alone, but the behavior of the other first years is nowhere near as predictable," he said. "Until I can guarantee the safety of all of my students, Miss Greengrass, the best advice I can give is to make sure that you do your best to make sure you aren't vulnerable to any sort of attack."

She frowned, sharing a nervous look with her cousin, before looking back at Snape and nodding. "Yes, sir."

Snape scowled as he looked at Draco, who was standing next to Harry, but he still refused to look at Harry. "Now, if you are assaulted by a member of another House, I expect you to come immediately to me. However, in-House conflicts should be kept internal. We are Slytherins, and as such, it is unacceptable to involve other Houses in our business, be it pleasant or otherwise," he said. "I expect you all to conduct yourselves professionally, since there will be more eyes on you than the other students. Do not give your teachers cause to deduct points," he said.

At that statement, Draco looked over at Theo and the two of them shared a slight smirk.

"Your only curfew is the school wide curfew requiring all students to be in their Common Rooms by ten at night. The Common Room is open all night. Make sure you cooperate with the other students, and any books that you take from our library must remain inside the Slytherin House," Snape said. "Do you have any questions?"

Theo nodded. "Is it true that there's a room in the Nest where we can practice dueling?" he asked.

Snape smirked slightly. "We do have a room like that, yes," he said. "It's restricted, though, for third years and above. We had a few too many accidents involving first years hexing off the fingers of their dueling partners and parents were less than pleased about that."

Theo grinned and opened his mouth to speak, but Snape seemed to know what he was going to ask.

"Any first or second year students who are caught in the dueling room will be permanently banned from the room," he said. "And if I catch you in the room, Mister Nott, you will have the pleasure of serving a month's worth of detention with Argus Filch," he added.

Theo scowled but nodded.

Snape looked around at most of the first years. "If you've got anything else to ask, my office is to the right of the fireplace. If it's unlocked, then you're welcome to come inside, but if you cannot get in, hold your question until some other time," he said. He waited a moment for any other questions. When none came, he nodded slightly. "You will be given your timetables tomorrow morning at breakfast. I expect all of you to be there, and I also expect you to be on time and appropriately behaved in each of your classes," he said.

When no one said anything, he nodded and walked back down the stairs.

"That was enlightening," Draco drawled once he could no longer hear Snape's footsteps on the stairs.

"Your godfather's a right porcupine, you know?" Daphne asked with a grin.

"Would you rather he sugarcoat everything and treat us like the Hufflepuffs?" Draco retorted.

She just chuckled. "I'm planning on going to bed. If any of you boys wake me up before I intend to wake up, I'll hex away your tongues," she said before walking back into her room.

"Good night," Tracey said before retreating into the room as well and shutting the door.

"See you in the morning," Theo said quietly. That seemed to be the cue for the rest of them, and they all returned to their rooms, bidding each other good night before going behind closed doors.

As soon as they were secure in their room, Draco looked over at Harry. "Have you perchance met Professor Snape before, and on that meeting, did you happen to piss him off?" he asked with a smirk.

Harry shook his head. "That's the first time I've seen him, apart from the dinner in the Great Hall," he said.

"I don't think I've ever seen him hate someone enough to completely ignore them," Draco said. "So whatever you did to him, I'm impressed."

Harry scowled. "I didn't do anything to him!"

Kado shifted a bit, poking his head out from under the folds of Harry's robes. "_Child, you are agitated. Do you need my help_?"

Instead of answering the snake, Harry ignored Kado, not yet willing to share the fact that he could Speak to snakes with Draco.

"_If you need my help, all you need do is touch my side_," Kado said before falling silent.

Draco said nothing.

"I'll go talk to him and straighten things out."

That had Draco laughing. "That's not going to work."

"Why not?"

"He's not the kind of man who listens to the pleading of desperate first years."

"I'm not desperate."

Silence.

Harry bit back the urge to stick his tongue out at the blond. "I'm not desperate, really," he said. "I just figure it would be better to sort things out and make sure that he doesn't hate me before I've got to spend seven years under his care, or guardianship, or whatever his responsibilities will be with us," he said.

Draco smirked over at Harry, who just scowled back at him. "He's not going to listen to you, Potter," he said, laughing quietly as he opened his trunk and started looking through it for something. "He refused to even look at you while he was talking to us!"

"So I'll make sure that I'm the only other person in the room. He's not going to ignore me if there's nothing he can do to get rid of me," Harry said as he headed toward the bed against the far wall, at the foot of which was his trunk.

"Harry, my godfather and James Potter have never been able to stay in the same room for more than a few minutes without Potter starting a fight, and you look a great deal like your father. I very much doubt you can get the man to change his mind about you," Draco said. He looked up from his trunk and frowned when he realized that Harry was sitting in the bed against the wall. "That's odd."

"What?" Harry asked, looking up at the other boy.

Draco was silent for a moment. "That bed belonged to the current Dark Lord back when he was a student here at Hogwarts," he said finally. "My father told me that it's been kept unoccupied out of respect since he graduated, and that the castle hasn't assigned any other students to sleep in his bed."

Harry frowned slightly. "Is this a bad thing?"

Draco shrugged. "I expect some people will see it as such, though it could also be a good thing. It is something that I would keep to myself, though. Your sister's not going to take it well."

"My sister can hug a Dementor for all I care about her," Harry said as he carefully untangled Kado from around his neck. "Do you mind if he's loose in the room?" he asked.

"Is it venomous?"

Harry shook his head. "Not venomous, and he likes you."

"_Do I now?_" Kado asked, sounding incredibly amused as he moved around the bed. "_I suppose I've been waiting long enough to meet the Malfoy child to tolerate him. Just as long as he doesn't paw at me_," he said.

Harry grinned. "He just doesn't like to be touched without warning, and I'm the only person who's been able to pick him up," he said. "Do you think Snape stays up late?"

"I don't really think he sleeps," Draco said. "Why?"

"I want to go talk to him before going to sleep," he said.

Draco nodded. He looked down at the snake on Harry's bed. "Take the snake with you when you talk to him." At the confused look on Harry's face, he shrugged again. "At the very least it'll prove that you're not as similar to James Potter as he's been claiming since he brought you back into our world," he said.

"_The boy is rather intelligent, I suppose_," Kado said, moving up Harry's arm and resettling around his neck. "_I will not move unless you need my help_," he said quietly.

"His office is connected to the Common Room. The second door on the left side of the large fireplace. I'll wait here," Draco said. "And I want you to tell me every detail when you get back."

Harry laughed quietly as he headed out of the dorm room and toward Snape's office.

Once he got into the office, Harry found his Head of House sitting behind his desk, reading through a newspaper that looked like it was written in an Asian language. He didn't say anything, choosing instead to walk forward and take a seat on the chair in front of Snape's desk and wait.

Snape clearly knew that he was sitting there, as his hold on the newspaper tightened enough for the paper to crinkle a bit. He said nothing, though.

Harry smirked to himself and leaned back in the chair, making himself comfortable for what he expected to be a long wait.

The office was quite comfortable, though a bit dimly lit for Harry's personal tastes. The walls were made of shelves that were filled near to bursting with books, vials, and containers of various potions ingredients - only some of which Harry could recognize. The desk was a large, ornate piece of furniture, with drawers on both sides, and some kind of carving etched onto the front of each drawer.

Snape turned a page in the newspaper, glancing briefly at Harry before returning to his newspaper.

Harry looked around the bookshelves, only slightly surprised to find that a large majority of them were written in foreign languages. He found himself wondering if he'd have the chance in the future to ask the man if he could look through his library.

Snape cleared his throat quietly but still said nothing.

He went back to looking at the desk, his mind going over the protective spells that he knew and wondering if the Professor had used any of them to secure the drawers shut. He leaned forward a bit, frowning slightly. It looked almost like there was a shark carved into the top left drawer.

"What is it, Potter?" Snape snapped, folding his newspaper and putting it rather violently down on his desk. He glared at Harry, and only seemed to get more irritated when Harry didn't react other than to smile slightly at the man.

"I was hoping to have a conversation with you," Harry said, doing everything he could to keep his tone pleasant. "It won't take too long, sir."

Snape scowled. He said nothing.

"Please, Professor?" Harry asked. "All I'm asking for is five minutes of your time, and then I'll go back to my room without saying anything else."

Snape narrowed his eyes at him. "You have two." His tone was glacial.

"Fine," Harry said, shrugging. He took a deep breath to steel his nerves before looking up at the older man, a calm expression on his face. "I wanted to extend my sincerest apologies for whatever my father did to you that caused you to stop talking to the Potters."

"I beg your pardon?"

Harry's lips quirked up but he gave no other reaction before continuing to speak. "I don't know what actions my father took against you, and I haven't asked him, since asking James would only serve to waste my time and I have no interest in spending more time with him than I absolutely have to," he said. "Whatever he did was action taken without my knowledge, and had I known he'd planned to harm someone, as I expect he did to you, I'd have done whatever I could to stop him," he said.

Snape seemed impressed, but he didn't say anything.

Harry took another breath, though his confidence was bolstered by the fact that Snape had yet to cut him off. "That being said, sir, I've only recently been brought into the Potter family and I've learned that you've got a long-standing hatred of my father. I've also learned that you're a brilliant man."

That statement seemed to take Snape off guard. "Excuse me?"

"I've read some of your work. Lily's been following your career almost obsessively, and she's collected copies of everything you've published and everything that's been published about you. It's not much, I know, and there are only a few things that are shared in newspaper articles, and I know I'm rambling, but what I'm really trying to say is that I'm looking forward to learning whatever you're willing to teach me," Harry said, blushing brightly.

At an odd look from Snape, Harry shifted in his chair and hoped it wasn't too obvious that he had a snake around his neck.

"I know I look like my father, sir, but you have my word that he and I are nothing alike. I just hope that you're willing to set aside whatever feud you've got with James and the rest of the Potters while you're teaching me," Harry said. "I really have no interest in playing along with their ridiculous feuds and alliances just because James wants to mould me into his clone."

Snape leaned forward slightly but said nothing.

Harry smiled a bit up at the man. "To be extraordinarily blunt, sir, I've only recently been brought into the Potter family. I am not associated with any of their alliances or participating in any of their feuds. My name is Cody Harrison Donahue and, unfortunately, Potter, and it's an honor to meet you, sir," he said, falling silent and leaning back a bit.

At first, Snape just seemed stunned as he took in everything that Harry had just told him. Then, after a few minutes, he gathered himself and nodded. "I suppose it's an honor to meet you as well, Mister Donahue."

"Harry, if you don't mind. I've just been Harry for as long as I can remember," Harry said with a relieved smile. "Or Harrison. That's what Draco and Theo call me."

"I must admit you are an odd Slytherin, Harrison," Snape said quietly.

Harry grinned. "I spent most of my life with Muggles, and then, after I come here, I'm pretty sure I'm friends with Draco Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins, and I get to meet one of the people who works with dragons," he said. "I very much doubt I'm going to stop being an odd Slytherin, sir."

"No," Snape said, the corners of his lips quirking up into an almost-smirk. "No, I expect not." He was silent for a brief moment. "I will understand if you'd rather not answer, but there are some Muggleborn students in attendance who were mistreated because of their magic. How did the Muggles treat you?" he asked.

Harry smiled. "My Muggles were more my family than the Potters are now, sir, regardless of blood status," he said. "I do need to find a way to thank them for everything they did for me."

Snape nodded slightly. "There are ways, though none of the methods available will be looked on kindly by your fellow Slytherins," he said.

"To be honest, sir, I don't care. My Muggles took exceptional care of me until Potter decided that it would be a convenient time to have me with them and they deserve to be thanked for that," Harry said.

"You truly harbor resentment for James, don't you?"

"He's the sorriest excuse for a man that I've ever met. Eli used to tell me that men like that should be taught how to behave properly," he said.

"Eli?"

"He was my teacher," Harry said. "He taught me how to defend myself."

Snape frowned. "Was there a need for you to defend yourself?" he asked.

Harry was silent for a moment, clearly confused. When the implication sank, he shook his head. "I wasn't abused, sir," he said. "My Aunt used to tell me that when my father came back for me, I would need to know how to defend myself." He scowled. "I used to think that he was some great warrior and we'd be fighting some kind of battle together. Then he took me away from my Muggles and I was completely disappointed. James is only halfway sane as it is."

Snape looked both surprised and pleased at that statement. "You are one of the only people I know who is willing to so openly discredit your father. No matter how much I hate the man, James Potter is incredibly powerful in this society," he said.

At that, Harry smirked coldly. "He may be powerful, but he's also a fool, sir. I have firsthand knowledge of a great deal of his imbecilic nature and I have no intention of allowing myself to be influenced by the fool," he said.

The older man looked impressed. He had an almost pensive look coming over his face as he leaned forward, inspecting Harry. "You are a rather fascinating child, aren't you?"

Harry said nothing, unable to stop the blush from coming over his face.

"_I am uncomfortable, child_," Kado said suddenly. "_Let me move._"

Harry squirmed a bit, not wanting to answer Kado without knowing how the Professor would react. "Would you mind taking an Oath of Secrecy, sir?" he asked. "There's something I want to show you."

Snape frowned slightly, hesitating a moment before nodding. "Allow me to strengthen the privacy wards in this room first," he said, not waiting for Harry's nod to do so. "I, Severus Snape, do solemnly swear to keep the secrets of Harrison Donahue until such a time as he deems it appropriate to releases me from this Oath," he said quietly.

"Thank you," Harry said after he felt the rustle of magic around the room that signified the solidification of the Oath. "_Kado, I want you to meet Severus Snape_," he said, carefully untangling the snake from around his neck and shoulders. "Professor Snape, this is my snake, Kado," he said, looking up at the Potions Master.

The older man seemed almost terrified at the sound of Harry speaking to Kado. It took him a number of minutes to recover. "How long have you been a Parselmouth?" he asked.

"_You were born with it_," Kado said as he moved off of Harry's lap and made his way onto Snape's desk. "_It is impossible to learn how to Speak. I expect I was the only snake you've spoken to before now_."

"He's not venomous, sir," Harry said when Snape leaned away from the snake but made no move to escape his desk. "And I've been able to Speak since birth. Kado's the first snake that spoke back to me, though. He's going to be friendly with you, I promise," he said.

Snape nodded faintly and watched the snake warily.

"He's a Boelen's python," Harry said, keeping an eye on Kado as the snake continued exploring the desk. "He's been with me since I found him in a Muggle pet shop, when my Muggle Aunt and I were buying a dog for my cousin," he said.

"And he's well behaved?"

"Well enough, sir. He isn't a domestic pet by any means, but he's proven loyal enough," he said. "Draco and Blaise know about him already, so you're the third person I think I trust with this information," he added.

Snape nodded slightly, flinching when Kado flickered his tongue out against his hand. "Keep an eye on him," he said. "If any of the other professors or the other students in the school find out about your snake, they will likely kill him. You also need to keep in mind that the ability to speak Parseltongue is regarded as a Dark ability, and if your ability becomes known to the school population, I will not be able to protect you as adequately as a Head of House should," he said.

Harry frowned. "I'm not defenseless, sir," he said.

"I never said you were, but I know that you are not strong enough to protect yourself from close to one thousand students and over a dozen fully trained teachers," Snape said. "And you should be aware that, as a Slytherin, there are a number of students in the other Houses who will take whatever opportunity they can to attack you. You'll find that even some teachers will be more willing to punish the Slytherins because of their House than for some other, more legitimate reason. The Gryffindors will be particularly eager to take advantage of any perceived weaknesses," he said. "I can only do so much to protect my students, no matter how strong they are on their own."

Harry was silent for a moment before nodding. "I suppose I understand that," he said.

A comfortable silence settled in the room as Harry and Snape watched Kado move off the desk to start exploring the room.

About five minutes into the silence, Snape cast a quiet _Tempus_ charm, frowning when he realized the time. "You need to get back to your room. I will not have any of my first years start the year late because they've been speaking with me," he said.

Harry smiled slightly and nodded. "_Kado_," he hissed quietly. "_It's time to go back to bed_," he said.

The snake hesitated a moment, inspecting a large jar full of what looked to be shedded snakeskin. "_These are particularly degraded, and they smell almost acidic. Are they supposed to smell like that?_"

"_I'll ask_," Harry said. "Your snakeskin smells like acid, apparently," he said, looking over at Snape. "Kado wants to know if it can still be used if it smells like that."

"It can, though that information is helpful to me," Snape said, looking over at Kado with a slightly less wary look on his face.

"I can probably convince Kado to let me give you his next shed, if you want," Harry said with a shrug. When Snape nodded slightly, he smiled and walked over to Kado. "_I'll bring you back some other time and you can explore some more then_," he said. "_But I'm going to give Snape your next shed,_" he said.

"_We'll see_," Kado said as he settled himself around Harry's shoulders. "_I might be more inclined to leave it in the bed of the Malfoy boy_," he said.

Harry laughed quietly before looking over at Snape. "Thank you for hearing me out, sir."

Snape shifted slightly in his seat before leaning forward. "My first years start off with a double block period of Potions, Harrison. I expect you to be prepared and well-rested for class," he said. "And during class I expect to see your very best efforts."

"I wouldn't dream of slacking in your class, Professor," Harry said with a slight bow to the man. He headed toward the door, but he stopped once his hand was on the door handle. "Oh, and one last thing, sir?"

"What's that?" Snape asked, his hands already straying back to his newspaper.

"I don't know if she ever told you, though knowing James, I'd guess not. My mother named you my godfather," Harry said before leaving the man's office.

Once he made it back into his room, he found Draco already in his pajamas and waiting for him to get back.

Harry ignored the blond as he walked over to his bed, setting Kado down on his bed and making sure that the snake was comfortable. He then moved over to his trunk and pulled out his own pajamas, quickly changing into them before finally looking over at Draco. "Is there something I can do for you, Draco?" he asked.

"What happened?"

"I thought Malfoys were subtle with their curiosity," Harry said with a grin, settling on his bed next to Kado.

"I'm young and inexperienced, so I can get away with it. Especially when it comes to matters concerning my friends," he said. "So hurry up and tell me before I decide to resort to more creative methods of making you talk," he said, picking up his wand with a smirk.

Harry grinned. "You know, I'm almost tempted to take you up on that offer, just to see what you're capable of."

"I can do more to you than you can imagine," Draco said in a suddenly husky voice. He pointed his wand at Harry and narrowed his eyes at him, a playful look on his face. "Now, are you going to talk or not?"

"Snape said that you were a twat and that I was his new favorite godson," Harry said plainly.

Draco scowled. "He did no such thing," he said.

Harry grinned as he got under the covers of his bed. "Not out loud, but I can tell that he wanted to," he said. "Good night, Draco."

"Good ni- wait, he's your godfather too?" Draco asked. He scowled when he didn't get an answer, though, and he opened his mouth to scold Harry for ignoring him, only to see that Harry had drawn the tapestries around his bed shut and the faint gold shimmer of a freshly cast Silencing Charm around the bed. He shut his mouth with a click, a smirk once again on his face. "Good night, Harrison," he said, drawing his own tapestries shut and quickly drifting off to sleep.


	18. Chapter 17

Pretend there's a disclaimer here.

Hey, so I had an update ready yesterday, but apparently the website decided to fuck that up. Fun times, right? Anyway, while I was waiting for the website to start functioning properly, I was working on finishing this chapter. So you guys get this about a week before I'd originally planned on updating it.

Enjoy! - and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

**Chapter 17**

"_The Malfoy boy is coming over to your bed_," Kado said as he shifted from his spot on Harry's bare back to settle on the pillow next to Harry's head.

"_Go bite him_," Harry said tiredly. He almost rolled over, but Kado hissed a warning at him and he groaned quietly. "_Fine, jerk, I'm getting up_," he said, slowly sitting up and stretching. He straightened his pajama shirt and smirked up at Draco when the blond pulled back the tapestries on his bed.

"Oh," Draco said, looking slightly disappointed. "You're up."

Harry laughed quietly. "Were you hoping to hex me?" he asked as he stood up.

Draco smirked and brushed an invisible piece of lint off of his school robes. "Only a little bit. I've already showered and dressed, so the bathroom's all yours," he said.

"Are you going to breakfast, then?" Harry asked around a yawn.

"Not yet," Draco said, the smirk disappearing. "It's a tradition for the first year Slytherins to go to the meals together. I'm just a morning person."

Kado hissed in amusement before moving into the spot that Harry had just vacated. "_That's going to be more than slightly annoying_," he said. "_I really don't want to have to deal with the wake-up call every morning, and I don't expect he'll appreciate me trying to bite him in my retaliation_," he said.

Harry grinned but stretched again. "I won't take too long," he said, doing his best not to look like he understood Kado.

Draco shrugged slightly. "I've got a few books to read," he said. "There's no pressing need for you to rush on my account." He grinned suddenly, the shark-like expression looking oddly at home on the blond's face. "Though you should, of course, get used to fitting your life around my schedule. It is only proper, after all."

"What's proper?" Harry asked.

"I am a Malfoy, Harrison," Draco said haughtily, though his expression had become more playful. "It is only natural for people to seek to follow me. You're only doing what comes naturally to lesser wizards around families of my caliber."

Harry laughed. "Really?" he asked. "If that's the case, I think I'll do everything I can to steal your little disciples and make them my own," he said, grinning and stepping toward Draco, pretending to be threatening.

Draco returned the grin in full and mirrored his movement, stepping up to stand almost flush against Harry. "You're just begging for a rivalry between the two of us, aren't you?"

"Not so much," he said. "But I've heard that having a nemesis can actually be quite healthy. If you think you're up for it?"

"You're going to be the one losing this fight, Potter." Draco backed up a few steps to allow Harry enough room to walk past him. "Though I suppose, since you're still relatively new to the Slytherin way of doing things, it would only be proper to allow you some time to adjust to our way of doing things. Just don't take too long to learn, otherwise you're just going to bore me before we even start our game," he said.

Harry frowned slightly as he opened his trunk and looked for some clothing. "That seems unlike you. Fair play and whatnot," he said without looking up at Draco. He pulled out a pair of black trousers and a dark green, lightweight sweater that had been a gift from Charlie Weasley.

Draco just shrugged again, watching Harry sort out his clothes. "This game won't be any fun if you don't know how to play, and I intend to have a great deal of fun with you," he said.

At that, Harry smirked. "Well then, I think I'm looking forward to starting our game."

"As you should be," Draco said, a smirk once again forming on his face. "Don't take too long getting ready. We need to be in the Great Hall so that Snape can give us our schedules," he said.

Harry nodded and grabbed his clothes. He gave a mocking bow to Draco before heading into the bathroom. He didn't take too long to shower - the more he thought about it, the more excited he got for his first day of classes.

Just under twenty minutes later, Harry walked out of the bathroom fully dressed, albeit barefoot.

Draco was on a couch in front of the fireplace, reading through their first year Potions book. He didn't seem to notice Harry walking up to him until he plucked the book out of his hands. "You're ready to go?" he asked.

"Unless you'd rather me find some way to take up more time?" Harry asked with a slight grin.

"No," Draco said as he looked over Harry's attire. "You're looking better than I would have expected, given who your father is."

Harry grinned. "I'm flattered." Before either he or Draco could say anything else, his stomach growled. Not loudly, but enough for the both of them to notice.

Draco laughed and stood up, pulling on a pair of dragonhide boots. "When we get to the Great Hall, the letters will come first, and then we'll get our class schedules," he said. "Your sister is probably going to try and harass you, and so will the Weasleys, but I'll make sure Crabbe and Goyle don't let anyone anywhere near you."

"Why are you so worried?"

"You're a Slytherin, you dimwit. We make sure to take care of our own," Draco said. "You're the only one here who's new to our way of doing things and I'm going to make sure you learn quickly. We can't have your learning experiences here be tainted by the lesser Houses."

Harry nodded slightly and looked over at Kado.

"_I have no interest in being in that Hall this mornin_g," Kado said quietly. "_I will be joining you in your classes later today, so do not forget to retrieve me_," he added before seeming to go back to sleep.

"Were you going to bring your snake with you?"

"Not for breakfast. If there's too much noise around him, he's liable to try and bite someone," Harry said as he and Draco left their room. "I'll probably bring him with me to class, though. If anything, he can act as a way to keep Rose and the Weasleys away from me." He looked over at Draco. "I don't plan on letting him biting you any time soon, so you don't need to pretend that you aren't afraid of him."

Draco scowled. "I'm not afraid." He hesitated for a moment. "You said he's not venomous, right?"

Harry smirked but nodded. "He's a constrictor." He fell silent abruptly when the others left their rooms, watching quietly as the others left the room and started talking quietly amongst each other.

"Now that is a pleasant surprise," Daphne said as she walked up to Harry and started circling him. "I would have expected something less put together for someone who's spent so much time with the Potters, but this is surprisingly almost acceptable."

"Really, Greengrass?" Pansy asked with a slight smirk. "I think he looks quite charming."

Harry flushed red. "Can we just go to breakfast now?" he asked, edging to hide himself a bit behind Crabbe, who seemed more amused at his behavior than anything.

Daphne smiled slightly and held out her hand for Harry. "It will look much better for you to enter the Great Hall with an eligible Heir at your side, not cowering behind one. The families who still abide by the proper ways of doing things will take note of that," she said. She didn't give him much of a chance to make up his mind about her offer, as she wrapped her hand around his elbow and practically pulled him out from behind Crabbe.

"There's not much you can say to dissuade Daphne," Tracey said as she looked over at Harry, a knowing smile on her face. "The least painful thing for you to do is just go along with it."

Theo grinned over at him. "I hate to say as much, but she's right," he said.

With that said, the group of them seemed to reach an agreement and they headed down the stairs. Only a few other Slytherins were awake, and they didn't seem too interested in watching the first years make their way out, though the portrait of the Founder watched them leave, keeping a closer eye on Harry than he had when the first years had first come into the Nest.

They were also among the first group of students in the Great Hall, though Harry noticed that Rose was sitting between the two Weasley twins, laughing and talking quietly.

"She's up to something," Harry muttered under his breath, making sure to avoid eye contact with the girl. And the twins.

"What makes you say that?"

Harry frowned and looked over at Daphne, who'd been the one to ask the question. "Hmm? Oh, when the Potters and the Weasleys spend their afternoons together, Rose never goes out of her way to talk to the twins. It's only when she wants something from them that she was that friendly with them," he said quietly. "They know it, too, but she always gives them someone to prank, so they don't complain too much."

"Draco," Daphne said quietly. "Keep an eye on the lesser Potter. She might be up to something."

"They won't get anywhere near us," he said airily, waving a hand at her as he sat down on Harry's other side. "Harrison, make sure you don't let Greengrass intimidate you," he said, pinning a warning look on Daphne. "And Greengrass, remember that he's not used to our way of doing things," he added.

Daphne just smiled over at him before motioning for Harry to take a seat. "I've no intentions of taking advantage of his lack of knowledge, Draco," she said.

Harry just watched the exchange with a confused look on his face, not entirely sure what to think of the interaction. He kept his silence as he sat between Draco and Daphne, choosing to look around the Great Hall as he piled a few pieces of French toast and sausage links on his plate.

The Hall filled up about halfway, mostly with the first and second years, and the professors filed in with the rest of them, some of them looking as half asleep as their students. As they all sat down, food would appear on the table in front of them.

As Harry looked around, he noticed more people gathering around Rose, and he found himself becoming increasingly more unsettled with the growing look of glee on her face. He glanced over at Draco, who nodded slightly before going back to his breakfast.

"Are you alright?" Daphne asked, chancing a glance in the direction of the Gryffindor table, which was getting rowdier as more students came into the Hall.

Harry nodded slightly. "I don't know what to expect from Rose," he admitted after finishing off a piece of French toast. "She could be coming up with a stupid pranks, but if she's working with the twins, she might actually be planning something more sinister."

"She hardly looks capable of anything too serious," Tracey said quietly, looking over her shoulder at Rose.

Pansy sneered over at Tracey. "It's always the quiet one that we need to worry about, anyway."

Tracey scowled but didn't respond, choosing instead to turn to Crabbe and speak quietly with him.

Draco smirked. "Pansy doesn't like Daphne, but she's afraid of her enough to know better than to be rude to her face," he said quietly, speaking so that only Harry could hear him. "Most of the time Pansy is mean to Tracey because she's from a less affluent family and her parents don't have that much interest in going after the Parkinsons for slander."

"Why not?"

"Part of it is because the Parkinsons have been the victims of a number of slander lawsuits and there's not much left when it comes to their reputation," he said. "The other part is that the Davis family is already well established. They've had the best vineyards in Scotland for close to eight centuries," he said.

Harry nodded slightly. "Why's Pansy afraid of Daphne, then?"

"My father has some sensitive information about her family, and if he ever chooses to go public with it, he can ruin the entire Parkinson family. Permanently," Daphne said quietly, a cold smirk on her face. "And she's been given a taste of just how damaging my father's information is, so she thinks she knows how bad it is," she added.

"Oh," Harry said quietly. "What does your father do?"

"He's a solicitor."

Harry nodded again. "Remind me not to get on your bad side," he muttered.

She laughed quietly and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "You are much smarter than your Potter name credits you with," she said.

The rest of the breakfast passed in a relative silence, though Harry found it to be a more comforting atmosphere than there had been back at the Potter Manor.

Once all the students had gathered in the Great Hall, there was a loud fluttering sound, followed closely by the entrance of the owls. Letters were delivered quickly, and though Rose and some of the Hufflepuffs fussed over their owls, most of the birds delivered their letters and left without a fuss.

Daphne whistled lowly when she saw the small stack of letters in front of Harry. "You're more popular than I thought," she said.

Harry flushed red. "There's only three letters," he said, glancing over the names of those who sent them.

Draco smirked. "Only three letters, but one of them looks like it's from one of the people in a specific camp in Romania. Another one looks like it's got the insignia that belongs to Lord Salvatore," he said. At his second statement, he looked up at Harry, his smirk fading. "I didn't know you were keeping contact with Salvatore."

"I'm not. I haven't seen him for a few months and I didn't think he thought so much of me as to write me. Especially not here," Harry said, setting that letter aside in favor of opening the one from Remus.

It was short, and it looked like it had been scrawled in a hurry. The handwriting was scratchy and it took a few minutes for Harry to decipher some of the less legible words, but as he read it, he found himself growing slightly fonder of his godfather.

...

Harry,

I heard from your father's rantings last night that you were Sorted into Slytherin. If you haven't received a Howler or some other sort of letter from him and your mother, it would be best for you to prepare yourself for the worst. They aren't too pleased at the news, but I don't think that either of them were displeased enough to warrant a visit to Hogwarts. (If your father gets too drunk, I can't rule out the possibility, so you might want to prepare yourself for that, just in case. I'll try to give you some forewarning, but I can't promise anything. You've become well aware of how unhinged your father can be sometimes.)

Rose is furious about your Sorting, and she demanded that James petition for you to be Sorted again so that you could be placed in the proper House. I don't think she'll get what she wants in this case, but you should probably still prepare yourself for that option. I've got a feeling that James will throw some sort of tantrum to try and pacify her.

Setting all that aside, I'd like to offer you congratulations. There are a number of rumors about that House, and it is not the easiest of Houses to live in, but you strike me as a strong child and I have little doubt that you'll be successful if you put your mind to it.

Both Sirius and I are proud of you and we both wish you the best of luck at school.

If you need anything from either of us, send me an owl and I'll do whatever I can to help you.

Good luck, pup.

I look forward to seeing you during your winter break.

Best of luck,

Remus and Sirius

PS - Sirius wanted me to share a map of the school with you, so you'll be getting another letter from me in about a week, after you've gotten more settled in to your new routine.

...

"What's it say?" Tracey asked curiously.

Harry looked up at her, frowning slightly.

She blushed. "My parents don't usually send letters unless something bad has happened," she said quietly. "I meant no harm."

Harry watched her for another, albeit briefer moment before nodding slightly. "My godfather," he said. "Just wishing me congratulations on the Sorting," he said.

"Was he a Slytherin too?"

"Gryffindor," Harry said. "He was supposedly friends with my father when they were in school together, but I've always gotten the feeling that he was more of a babysitter than anything."

"Obviously not a good one," Draco said coldly. At a dirty look from Harry, he scowled. "What? You don't like your father either, and it's a common fact that he's only halfway sane," he said.

"You couldn't make your hatred more obvious if you tried, could you?"

Draco smirked. "There's no need for me to be discreet about something that is common knowledge," he said. "I don't like him, especially because I've seen the way that man treats you."

That statement caught the attention of the rest of the first years.

"Does he hurt you?" Crabbe asked.

Harry shook his head, shooting another dirty look in Draco's direction. "Not intentionally," he bit out. "He just likes to drink and when he's drunk, he gets loud." When Crabbe made a less than convinced sound, he looked over at the larger boy. "If it's any consolation, the last time he tried to grab me when he was drunk, I broke his nose and two of his fingers," he said.

Crabbe nodded, apparently mollified.

"What spells did you use?" Theo asked curiously.

Harry smirked. "I didn't," he said. At the expectant silence and the stares of his fellow first years, he shrugged slightly. "You may not like their kind, but my Muggles took care of me. My aunt knew that I was going to come back and my life was going to be in danger, so she made sure that I knew how to protect myself."

"How's that?" Theo asked.

Harry's smirk just grew a bit more malicious and, for a moment, he considered not answering their questions. "The teacher my aunt hired had me learn how to kill a man in a dozen different ways. All with my bare hands," he said in a pleasant enough tone of voice. "Among other things."

Silence reigned among the group of them for a few minutes.

"I think I might be in love," Blaise said suddenly, breaking the almost pregnant silence.

Theo laughed quietly.

Harry shrugged and turned his focus back to the other two letters he'd received. He set aside the letter from Lord Salvatore, instead opening the letter from Romania.

This one had much better handwriting than Remus' letter, though it quickly became clear that Charlie hadn't written the letter.

...

Dearest little cousin of Charlie's,

Don't tell me you've forgotten your favorite German cousin, Henrik? I might have to come visit you to remind you that you shouldn't forget me - and I'll bring along a few of my pets to keep us company during my visit.

Word reached the reserve late last night that you got into the Snake House in Hogwarts - Remus fire-called Charlie to let him know after he found out and then he told me. Charlie's out with his baby girl right now, but he sends luck and congratulations. You'll probably get a letter from him in a week or so, but Sheena's going through one of her many difficult stages. Normally he'd have some of the other trainers here help him, but Charlie and Sheena are pretty much inseparable right now. It's only to be expected, really, since he's been there since the day she hatched. Similar to you and your legless creature, which is welcome back with you any time.

Good luck in school, and if you ever get too bored there, I'm sure we can find you a bunk here. Shit, you just say the word and I'll pull in every favor I've got to get you a private room. Like I told you before, you're obviously good with animals, and someone who's as skilled as you, especially at such a young age, can only get better with animals.

Let me know if you want me to bring Rufus or Simon to see you at Hogwarts. They're getting to the age where they like to stretch their wings every so often.

Study hard, I suppose, or whatever a responsible adult is supposed to tell an impressionable young chap like yourself.

Henrik

And Charlie, too. His letter will be along shortly. I only got the chance to write this and send it because I've had a few minor burns and I've been in the hospital ward for about two days now.

...

Harry smiled to himself as he read through the letter a second time. He reminded himself to make sure to get a Yule gift for Henrik as well as Charlie, knowing that the man would appreciate it. From what little Charlie had written of Henrik, his family wasn't particularly pleasant, and he had effectively disowned himself from them, claiming that being an orphan was less painful than being part of his family.

He folded the letter up and tucked it into his pocket, not wanting to risk anyone else reading the letter.

The final letter, as Draco has pointed out, did bear the crest that he'd seen on the cufflinks that Lord Salvatore had worn. He flipped it over, inspecting it for any signs of hidden spells. When he found nothing, he opened the letter carefully, still careful to check for any sort of spell.

It was a short letter, written in almost calligraphic handwriting, and Harry found himself almost jealous of the man's handwriting.

...

Little Donahue,

I would like to wish you congratulations on being Sorted into the most noble and powerful of the four Houses. No doubt you will find great success there, and I expect you will have a number of enriching experiences in addition to the education you will receive.

If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask. I am well aware that you are not the sort of character to accept anything that may present itself as charity, but I learned long ago the importance of endearing oneself to important, powerful people. You strike me as one such person, and I find myself almost looking forward to anything you may ask of me. Should you ever need anything, all you need do is send a request and I will do whatever I can to help.

Enjoy your schooling, and do not play dumb. You were Sorted into the House of Snakes, and you must be ready to use all your cunning and intelligence to thrive among your housemate.

I will not wish you luck, as I am curious to see if you are as smart as I think you are, but I will not actively work to conspire against you.

Regardless, I look forward to seeing you again at the holiday festivities.

Regards,

Lord Salvatore

...

"He doesn't often write letters to people who aren't actively helping, or otherwise somehow useful to him, you know," Draco said quietly once Harry had finished reading through the letter. "My father's only received one letter from him that I've seen, and he's been working with him since before I was born," he said.

Harry frowned slightly. "So what makes me so special?" he asked.

Draco shrugged. "I expect he'll eventually tell you, but you could always try asking him outright. I doubt you'll get a full answer, but he might be convinced by your youth and friendliness to at least partially answer your question," he said.

"Right. Because he's the sort of man to be easily convinced by things like that."

"You never know," Draco said quietly, though there was an odd, almost pleased expression on his face as he turned back to his breakfast.

Harry frowned but didn't say anything. He'd find out soon enough if the blond was up to something, though hopefully it wasn't anything that would turn out too bad.

As the rest of the students finished reading their letters, the four Heads of Houses left the Professor's table at the end of the Great Hall and started distributing to their students their class schedules.

Harry tucked the letter from Lord Salvatore into his pocket and looked up at Snape as he walked over to the group of first years. "Good morning, Professor," he said with a slight smile.

The Potions Master nodded to him as he handed Harry his class schedule. "I expect you to be well behaved in class today," he said with a warning look that shifted from Harry to Draco. "Both of you. I don't trust what you think you can get away with."

Draco adopted a faux-offended look. "That hurts, Professor. We've been nothing but perfectly behaved since before we were Sorted," he said.

Snape just snorted quietly and finished distributing the class schedules.

Daphne looked between the two of them, frowning. "What was that all about?" she asked, setting her schedule aside for the moment.

"He was just giving his two newest favorites a warning that he's not going to let us get away with too much, or it'll become obvious that he likes us more than everyone else," Draco said with a smirk. "If you'd like, I could talk to him and see if there's any way for him to like you almost as much as he likes us," he added.

She just scowled at him.

Harry laughed quietly, genuinely amused by the conversation. When the two blondes started bickering back and forth, he listened for a few minutes, until he was sure that the bantering was entirely friendly. Once he felt confident that neither of them were planning on starting a serious fight, he looked down at his class schedule.

He started the week with double Potions, followed by Transfigurations and Defense Against the Dark Arts, all shared with the Gryffindors, and that schedule was duplicated on Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays had History of Magic with the Ravenclaws and a double block of Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Friday had Charms and another Transfigurations class, followed by Flying, all with the Gryffindors.

"Why are we sharing so many classes with the Gryffindors?" he asked after a moment.

"Those are the two houses with the biggest rivalries," Theo said. "If they get the students together early enough, there's the hope that the rivalry won't be as bad as it has been in the past," he said.

Harry frowned slightly and glanced across the Great Hall toward Rose and the Weasleys. His frowned only deepened when he caught Ronald Weasley and Rose glaring at him. "Yeah, I doubt that's going to turn out too well," he said.

"You and your sister don't get along?" Tracey asked curiously, glancing over her shoulder toward the Gryffindor table.

"That's putting it mildly," Harry muttered darkly, turning back to his breakfast.

"The mudblood is glaring at you too," Draco said quietly. "I think she's already been corrupted by the Weasel and your sister."

"Shame," Harry said dispassionately. He looked down at his half-empty plate of breakfast and frowned, no longer hungry. "I'm just going to go back and get my books. I don't want to risk being late for Potions."

Draco nodded. "We won't be too far behind you," he said, though he motioned over at Crabbe. "Don't let yourself get caught somewhere alone," he added.

Harry nodded.

Crabbe shoved an apple in his pocket and stood up, nodding over at Harry. "I'm going with you," he said.

Harry nodded again and headed out of the Great Hall, the larger boy not far behind him.

When they were alone in the hall together, Harry looked up at Crabbe. "You don't have to babysit me, you know," he said.

Crabbe shrugged. "Better than letting you get cornered by the older Gryffindors who know more spells than you," he said. "Besides, you're one of us, and Slytherins always stick together."

"Right," Harry said quietly.

The two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence as they headed back to the Slytherin Nest and gathered their books for the day.

Kado was awake when he got back to his room. "_That was quicker than I expected_," he said, moving closer to Harry as he watched the boy go into his trunk to get his books for the day.

"_I lost my appetite_," Harry said in a whisper. He did his best to keep his voice hushed, as he'd left his door open and he didn't want to risk anyone overhearing his conversation with Kado.

"_Rose_?" Kado asked.

Harry nodded. "_She's planning something. I'm just not sure what it is yet_."

Kado hissed, sounding almost frustrated. "_I'll do what I can to find out what it is,_" he said.

"_Just as long as you don't get caught._"

Kado nodded slightly but didn't respond, choosing instead to watch Harry continue getting ready.

Crabbe was quicker than Harry had first thought. He walked into Harry's room just as he finished packing his books into his schoolbag. "You've got a pet snake?" he asked, startling both Harry and Kado.

"What?" he asked. "Oh, yeah," he said quietly, not sure what sort of reaction to expect. "I've had him since I lived with the Muggles. He's not venomous or anything, I promise."

"I'm not afraid of snakes," Crabbe said, stepping forward and watching Kado.

Kado, for his part, was more curious than anything, and moved closer to Crabbe, his tongue flicking in and out as he inspected him.

"Are you bringing him in to class today?" Crabbe asked. Almost hesitantly, he reached out and touched Kado's head. When Kado didn't bite him, he continued to pet the snake, though he made sure to keep his touch gentle.

Harry nodded. "I don't want to risk anyone coming in here and finding him," he said. "Especially since James was always threatening to kill him if he could get his hands on him," he added.

Crabbe said nothing, though the scowl on his face seemed answer enough, at least for the moment. He watched as Harry picked up Kado and draped the snake around his shoulders. "I'll help you hide him if you want," he said.

Harry smiled up at the larger boy. "Thanks," he said. "I might take you up on that offer if someone actually tries to come after him, but I feel more comfortable keeping him with me."

Crabbe nodded.

Harry adjusted his school robes, making sure that Kado was hidden completely from sight before picking up his bag and making his way back out of the Slytherin Nest, Crabbe not too far behind him.

When the two of them made it to the Common Room, Crabbe stopped, staring over at the portrait of the Founder. "He's watching us," he said when Harry looked up at him, a confused look on his face. "I don't think he likes us."

"We've only been here for a little while," Harry said. "Maybe he just keeps a closer eye on the first years to make sure that we don't get into any trouble."

Crabbe scowled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the Founder. "I still don't like it."

"Then stop staring at him, maybe," Harry suggested.

Kado peeked out from the folds of his robes, glancing over at the portrait. Almost immediately, he tightened himself around Harry's neck in a silent warning.

Moving so that he was slightly hidden behind the larger boy, Harry looked up at Crabbe. "Let's just get to the Potions classroom now. I don't want to risk being late for that class," he said.

Crabbe nodded and the two of them headed out of the Nest, making their way down the hall to the classroom.


End file.
